Vanishing Illusions
by Trelawney's Love Toy
Summary: Harry Potter, previously thought to be dead, arrives to compete in the triwizard tournament. How will being raised by a former Death Eater and attending Durmstrang, alter the boy's intended course.
1. Chapter 1

**AN: **I've read several stories where Harry grows up on his own and is admitted to Hogwarts right before the Tri-Wizard tournament with a bad ass attitude. Even one where he grew up in France and was the Beauxbatons champion. But I never saw one where he was in Durmstrang so I decided to write one just for shits and giggles.

If you like it let me know and if you don't, let me know why. Constructive criticism is always useful. If your purpose here is to simply leave bullshit reviews telling me how much I suck, then piss off. No doubt, that comment will attract several flames but I don't really care, I'm writing this for my own amusement and if they don't like it, fuck em. Now, for those of you with manners, lets get to the story.

Vanishing Illusions

By

Trelawney's Love Toy

Chapter One

The leading members of the Order of the Phoenix were sitting around the table in the small meeting room connected to Headmaster Albus Dumbledore's office as they tried to anticipate Voldemort's next move. They had had very little success in this area but it wasn't something they could just give up on. Though most did not trust him, Severus Snape was their only source of information in the Dark Lord's ranks and although he was thought to be loyal, he was hardly a trusted advisor. Primarily being designated to brewing the potions needed by the Death Eaters. Once critical plans came to his attention it was usually too late to do anything about them.

For the most part, the members of the Order allowed themselves no illusions, they knew perfectly well that they were losing this war and it would take a series of astounding victories to change that fact. They had been on the defensive for several years now, never gaining an inch, always being pushed back. Recruitment in both the Aurors and the Order had all but dried up and the terror that Voldemort commanded sent many would be allies running.

James and Lily Potter sat beside their friends, Sirius and Remus, as they listened to all the latest reports with detached expressions on their faces. This was the first meeting they had been to in weeks and they truly wished they had stayed at home with their boys. They trusted Peter completely, he was their secret keeper after all, but they just had this strange feeling that something was wrong. Truth be told, they wouldn't have come at all if Peter hadn't convinced them that they could offer something positive to the meeting, but as it wore on they could not conceive of any area of discussion that they could add to.

James sighed in boredom before a powerful wave of magic assaulted his mind. With a strangled gasp, he jumped to his feet, his eyes wide in terror.

"James, what is it?" Sirius demanded in concern.

"The wards! The wards have been breached!" Was all he said before fleeing the room, his wife and friends right behind him. Unfortunately, due to the extensive protection surrounding the house, a floo connection was impossible so the only choice was to make it off Hogwarts grounds before apperating which would take several minutes, time they could not spare.

XXX

Aleksander Krum stood outside the smoldering remains of the Potter house with an outraged expression on his face. He had joined the Death Eater just two months before simply because he truly believed in Voldemort's cause but once he was permitted access to more information after he took the Dark Mark, he realized that for all his posturing, the Dark Lord cared nothing about the purebloods that served him, he merely saw them as a means to gain power.

He had been assured that the muggles that had been tortured and killed were actually agents of Albus Dumbledore and thus had to be removed, but now he knew differently. He had no love for muggles but the attack on innocents with no means to defend themselves was an act that held no honor and it disgusted him. To kill in combat is unavoidable but cold-blooded murder is an entirely different matter especially if the victims were children. It was this reality that brought him to his current location this night.

Recently the Dark Lord had been especially interested in a few young boys that were barely over one year old, insisting that they must die. Neville Longbottom and the Potter twins. While their parents were certainly enemies of considerable power, he could not fathom why the boys would be a priority, and he could not condone attacks on ones so young. Aleksander had serious doubts about his decision since he first took the Mark but once he learned that Voldemort had left to eliminate the Potters twenty minutes before, he decided that he could not simply follow orders any more. He drew his wand and prepared to leave when pain beyond anything he had ever experienced coursed through his left arm as the Dark Mark burned black for nearly a minute before the tattoo began to fade until it was barely visible. It took quite a bit of control but he was eventually able to push the pain to the back of his mind so that he could return to the task at hand. He would try to figure out what had just happened later.

Quickly tracing the Dark Lord's portkey, he apperated away and was surprised to meet no resistance as he passed through the wards that should have been present. He knew that Voldemort was powerful but even he could not break through such extensive shields so quickly on his own. Although he was angered that he had obviously not arrived in time, he was lucky that due to the scorched house and the distraught parents present his own arrival went unnoticed.

James and Lily Potter were casting charm after charm to extinguish as much of the flames as possible as they and a few others made their way through the wreckage, calling out to their twin sons. Despite the grave situation and his outrage of an attack on children, he couldn't help the incredulous snort that escaped him. The children were mere infants, and judging by the devastation surrounding them, even if they were alive they would be in no condition to form any sort of reply.

A sudden shriek brought him out of his thoughts and when he looked up he saw Mrs. Potter jump over several obstacles to reach the large basinet that was remarkably untouched. There was only one problem. One child was missing while the other was unconscious. While both parents were relieved to find Allen seemingly unharmed, they were franticly looking around for Harry.

Looking around once again, Aleksander turned his suspicious gaze towards his left forearm. Judging by their actions, the Potters were not present when the Dark Lord attacked so the question on his mind was what had happened to cause such damage and what had happened to Voldemort. For the past two months he could always feel his 'master's' presence through the mark but currently he was feeling very little. In fact, he used the magic to try to contact the self proclaimed Lord but met with no success, something that should have been impossible. The only explanation was that he was either dead or so magically weak that he could no longer access the connection. A small smirk graced his lips at the thought of either fate but the question remained; which explanation applied and how did it happen.

Deciding he probably shouldn't press his luck, he decided that it would be best to leave the area now before more people showed up to assist, in which case his presence would undoubtedly be noticed. Planning to apperate, he walked a short distance to avoid the sound being detected but he didn't get far before he came upon the unconscious body of Harry Potter. He just stood there and blinked stupidly for several moments, surprised at his discovery and confused as to how the boy had gotten there.

He withdrew his wand before casting several charms only to find that he had apparently apperated out of the house with accidental magic. A few quick tests revealed that the boy was in good health, except for the strange cut on his forehead, having been hit with only one spell.

"This is not possible!" He muttered to himself in broken English. No one, no one, had ever survived the killing curse much less a child. According to the diagnostic charms, the spell had been partially blocked and rebounded. If that was indeed the case, then it would shed much greater light on tonight's events. If Voldemort had been hit with the rebounded curse, it would explain the pain he had felt in his mark and the lack of 'presence' he had felt. But was he dead or merely incapacitated. Either way, he was certain that he was not gone for good, he could just feel it in his bones.

Now he just needed to decide what he would do with the boy. Under normal circumstances he would make sure the child was returned to his parents but he wasn't so sure that that was what was best. If his conclusions were correct then he would be a target for Death Eaters seeking vengeance for their master his entire life. It would be much safer for him for everyone to believe him to be dead. Dumbledore, and the rest of the magical world, no doubt, place him up on a pedestal as some kind of hero, thus exposing him to any enemies he will certainly acquire.

It would be much simpler if the boy's parents had died in the attack. If that had happened he would probably be tucked away someplace out of reach but that was obviously not to be. Besides, if he could survive a killing curse there was no telling what the boy could achieve in the years to come and he did not trust that kind of power under the thumb of Albus Dumbledore.

"Hmm, and Viktor will certainly enjoy having a little brother!" He muttered to himself, coming to his decision before vanishing with a soft pop.

XXX

_Thirteen years later_

The Great Hall of Hogwarts quieted down as Professor McGonagall tapped her glass to get everyone's attention. Most of the student body turned their attention to Headmaster Dumbledore, waiting for him to make his customary start of the year announcements but a select few looked very excited, knowing what was about to be announced.

"Now that everyone has had their fill of our wonderful feast, there are a few announcements to be made. But first I must remind you that dueling in the corridors and venturing into the Forbidden Forest our expressly forbidden. And since several of our students seem to think that these rules are mere suggestions," Dumbledore said as he gazed back and forth between Draco Malfoy and Allen Potter. "Punishments for these transgressions will now be more severe." Most of those in the hall glared at the two boys and their small group of friends with scowls firmly placed. Neither were very popular among the student body as a whole for various reasons. Primarily because of their arrogance.

Allen Potter, known for his defeat of Voldemort was loved throughout the wizarding world, with the exception of those that had actually met him personally. He was clearly one of those that had let fame go to his head and as a result of the training he had received since he was seven years old, he rarely hesitated to let his opinion that he was the most powerful wizard in the school go unsaid. A claim that Malfoy challenged regularly.

"Now, before everyone goes off for a peaceful night's sleep, I would like to introduce our new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor, retired Master Auror Alastor Moody." There were scattered applause around the hall but most were looking at the battle scarred man with trepidation. His vicious nature towards those he hunts was very well known. Dumbledore may trust the man to teach children but the past years have proven that the Headmaster's judgment was well clouded where that particular position was concerned.

"Also, I have the great pleasure to announce that this year Hogwarts will be hosting the Tri-Wizard Tournament." There were several gasps heard around the hall and many were looking up at their Headmaster with wide eyes but the majority seemed a bit confused. "The tournament was established nearly seven hundred years ago to promote friendly competition between the three premier schools of magic in Europe. Hogwarts, Beauxbatons and Durmstrang. Each school will select a champion who will represent their student body in a series of competitions that tests your physical, mental and magical prowess.

"The tournament was held every five years until 1792 when the death toll became to high. There have been many attempts to revive the competition but until this year none had been successful. The heads of Beauxbatons and Durmstrang will arrive in October with their strongest contenders and the champions will be chosen on Halloween. However, this year the organizers had decided to impose an age restriction on those competing due to the danger involved. It had been decided that you must be at least sixteen years of age to enter your name into the champion selection. However, there were some," He said slowly as he looked over to a particularly smug Allen as his father gave him a thumbs up from the head table where he was seated with other Ministry officials. "There were some that objected to this restriction so the Ministry has decided that those aged fourteen and fifteen may enter if they have their parent's permission and fill out the proper waivers to be filed with and approved by the Ministry of the competitor's native country. But now it is getting late and you will need your rest for your lessons tomorrow, so off to bed."

"So, Allen, do you think you have a shot?" Seamus asked as they were walking out of the Great Hall.

"Of course, who else would be chosen as Hogwarts champion?"

XXX

"Karkaroff knows!" Viktor said quietly as he sat down next to his little brother.

"How did he figure it out?" Fedor asked as he continued to eat his breakfast, glancing briefly to where the Headmaster was speaking with the potions instructor. With a week to go before they left for Hogwarts, Karkaroff wanted every potion possible that could help Durmstrang's champion.

"Apparently he had a house elf get a sample of your blood off of your clothes after our dueling practice last night. After that it's relatively easy. A simple heritage ritual would give him every family member for four generations back."

"We're going to have to do something a little more extreme this time. He really should know to stay out of other people's business." The younger boy growled to himself.

"I agree, in fact I already have an idea." Ever since Fedor started at Durmstrang, Headmaster Karkaroff seemed determined to figure out everything about him. He had known Aleksander and Olivia Krum in the past, so he knew that they had no child Fedor's age and the natural questions were, where did he come from and who is he? A few other people had tried to get these very same answers before but they quickly 'decided' that it wasn't important. However, they would need to make an example out of the Death Eater turned Headmaster.

Fedor had known who he really was since he was old enough to understand it but unlike most children in his situation, he had no real interest in meeting his birth parents, much less getting to know them. Unlike the rest of the wizarding world that was busy fawning over the 'Boy-Who-Lived', Fedor could see quite clearly what kind of people they truly were. A blind man could see what a glory hound his 'brother' was and James Potter was clearly just as arrogant. The mother, while not as obvious about it, obviously loved to show everyone just how brilliant she was and rub their faces in it. Fedor and Viktor had skills enough but they let their actions do the talking. There was no grandstanding unless it was on the Quiditch pitch or dueling ring.

He found it laughable that Allen Potter strutted around, taking all the praise he could get for an act he could neither remember nor duplicate, for the simple fact that he didn't do it. According to public record whatever he did destroyed Voldemort but they forget that it apparently destroyed his twin brother as well. While he was sure the two elder Potters missed their absent son, it appeared that they felt it was a small price to pay for the defeat of a Dark Lord.

XXX

"Hmm, he's a paranoid one, isn't he?" Fedor commented quietly as he looked at the wards surrounding the Headmaster's office through his crystal lens goggles. Both he and his older brother were very well trained but despite the age difference Fedor surpassed his older brother in the use of magic while Viktor outmatched him in unarmed combat and the use of handheld weapons. Not to say that Viktor wasn't skilled with a wand, mind you, it's just the material seemed to come more naturally for the younger man.

"Is it going to be a problem?" Viktor asked in an amused tone.

"Of course not! You handle the proximity ward, nullifying field and general shields and I'll do the rest. He's got a nexus charm weaved in so we've got to hit them all at the exact same time or…"

"Yes, I know. If one ward goes down it will alert the others, strengthening them and sounding the Headmaster's alarms. If you recall, I have study just as much as you." Fedor just shrugged off his brother's annoyance and set to work. He placed five, multi colored crystals along the floor and doorframe while Viktor placed three. These crystals were their father's invention. They were connected to their wands and would focus the same spell at the same time allowing you to attack several different points at once.

"Ready? Alright, now!" Both young men began casting a long string of incantations, barely pausing to breath between spells. It took them nearly twenty minutes to bring the wards on the door down but after that it was ridiculously easy. There were no alarms set in the office itself and nothing on the door to his private quarters.

The bedroom was actually quite Spartan in appearance. It was little more than a large stone box with a queen sized bed, two winged backed chairs and a modest looking wardrobe. After scanning the room several times to make sure they didn't miss anything, they hit their Headmaster with a stunner before pulling him out of bed and binding him to one of the nearby chairs. Looking around, Fedor found the man's wand resting on a small, rickety old bedside table while Viktor dosed Karkaroff with a liberal amount of Veritaserum.

"Wake him up. The sooner we get out of here the better." Fedor nodded in agreement before waking him with a simple flick of his wand. Once he opened his eyes they were perfectly satisfied that the truth serum had taken effect as they seemed cloudy and could not focus properly.

"Are you a Death Eater?" Viktor asked in a neutral tone. He had no patience for asking several pointless questions before getting down to business. He figured if he asked a question the man would certainly lie to then he would know for certain if it was working or not.

"Yes." Yep, it was certainly working.

"Are you still loyal to the cause?"

"Yes."

"Ok, do you know who Fedor Krum really is?"

"Yes, he's Harry Potter."

"Have you given this information to anyone?"

"Not yet."

"What do you plan to do with it?"

"I intend to use it incase any of my old friends come after me." Well, that certainly made sense. He made himself a lot of enemies when he testified against a bunch of Death Eaters to avoid going to Azkaban himself. He would have to offer them something pretty valuable to save his neck.

"Where is that blood sample and any materials you used with it?"

"In the bottom drawer of my desk." As soon as the words were out of his mouth two stunners hit him in the chest.

"I'll collect that blood and you can deal with him." Viktor said before heading towards the door.

"How much do you want to take?" Fedor asked as he prepared to cast the Memory charm.

"Go ahead and take it all, he's been too much of a nuisance for too long."

"_Atum Balt Averum!"_ The difference between this charm and the widely used _Obliviate_ is that the standard memory charm simply covers up a memory. If one is fairly skilled in occlumency, they could probably retrieve it eventually or they could have someone help them do it. But the spell Fedor used, called the Memorandum, erases the memory altogether. If you focus enough power into, as Fedor did, you could erase a person's entire life, effectively making them the mental equivalent of a new born baby with no hope of recovery.

XXX

"Everyone, settle down and take your seats!" Professor McGonagall demanded in a crisp voice. Professors Snape, Flitwick and Sprout stood along beside her as they stood at the front of the transfiguration classroom. The room held nearly twenty students from all houses, ranging from fifth year to seventh. There were only two forth years present, Potter and Malfoy, and it appeared that everyone was a bit resentful that the two grandstanding forth years would be included in this meeting. After all, if Malfoy was chosen as champion, it would no doubt be because his father bought the position for him and if Potter is chosen it would certainly be because he is the 'Boy-Who-Lived'. He may be fairly advanced for his age but he is definitely not more skilled than a sixth year student much less a seventh.

"As you know, you are here because in your respective year groups, you are the most likely to be selected as Hogwarts champion, though some of you have a greater chance than others. While rules forbid us from assisting you for the various tasks that make up the competition, we are, however, permitted to help prepare you for the tournament as a whole. Part of that is knowing who you will be facing." With a wave of her wand a large stack of folders appeared before each student and Professor Flitwick took over.

"Before you is information on the capabilities of each student Beauxbatons plans to bring to enter their names into the competition. They are all highly intelligent but most of them lack much practical experience, however, this fact should not lead you to underestimate their capabilities. Now, due to the volume of candidates, you should study those files on your own time while we move on to the Durmstrang candidates." This time the stack of files was noticeably smaller.

"Two, they only have two entering?" Allen laughed out loud without even looking at the names. He didn't bother to stop when even the professors began glaring at him.

"Mr. Potter, control yourself this instant or you can leave!" McGonagall snapped. "Now, the list of students Durmstrang is bringing is considerably longer but their champion will undoubtedly be one of these two. Viktor and Fedor Krum. Yes, I see the Quiditch enthusiasts in the room recognized the name. Viktor Krum of course caught the snitch at the world cup some months ago. It was only his age that kept his brother from being the alternate on that team." Those names were very well known to many in that room. Some had starry eyes as they thought about the greatest seeker in Quiditch today and all those with experience in competitive dueling paled at the thought of facing either of the brothers.

"As it stands," Professor Sprout spoke up for the first time. "Whichever of these two is chosen will be the favorite to win, no matter who is chosen from the other schools. Viktor Krum has won numerous dueling competitions with both magic and the sword as well as hand to hand combat competitions. He has won the gold medal for his age group at the European Dueling Championships two years ago and came in third in the world championships. Last year he filed the necessary waivers to compete as an adult, the request was granted and he took the silver medal in the EDC."

"As skilled as Mr. Krum is, his younger brother is better!" Flitwick stated firmly as he tried to impress the serious nature of their abilities. "Fedor is considered to be the most powerful wizard of his generation in the world today. He won the European championship two years ago and won the world championship a month later. He continued strong last year, once again winning the EDC title…"

"THAT'S A LIE! I WON LAST YEAR'S TOURNAMENT!" Potter screamed as he jumped to his feet in anger, though those that knew him best could see he was doing it more for appearance sake, like he just wanted to make it appear that he wasn't aware of what his professor was talking about.

"POTTER, SIT DOWN AND BE QUIET!" Snape raged as he glared at his least favorite student. He didn't think it was possible for anyone to exceed the arrogance James Potter had shown while a student but his son certainly did just that.

"Yes, Mr. Potter, you won for your age group, but did you not stay to watch the whole competition?" Flitwick asked, already knowing the answer.

"Of course not, I already won!" It was a lie, of course, he watched the whole thing and it left him feeling fortunate that he took the route he did in that tournament, he did win after all so it all turned out for the best.

"Well, seeing as how he had already won the tournament once before, young Fedor appealed to the International Dueling Commission and filed the waivers to allow him to compete as an adult just as his older brother had. Due to the fact that he was only thirteen at the time, the officials were reluctant to allow it but eventually withdrew their concerns after putting him through many rigorous tests. Despite the fact that they were facing opponents with decades more experience then them, the two tore through the competition. Fedor took the gold after a brutal match with his brother who, of course, won the silver. Despite the fact that they missed the world championships last year, due to injuries they sustained against each other in that final match, they are both still ranked in the top ten worldwide on the adult circuit."

"So is this an all brawn, no brain situation?" Cho Chang asked.

"Don't be stupid!" Snape growled in annoyance. "Both of these boys are among the top students in their class and although they had originally been instructed by tutors, the majority of their knowledge has been self taught. Everything they set their minds to achieve, they excel at." McGonagall glared at her younger colleague for his tone before she took over once more.

"Professor Snape is, of course, correct. The Krums routinely work with various organizations gaining hands on experience with different aspects of magic and combat, whether it's dueling with hostile wizards, handling dangerous magical creatures or dealing with rogue vampires and werewolves. As you can see, Hogwarts and Beauxbatons will be at a disadvantage here. Our champions will be students and they will be facing a professional."

XXX

"Headmaster!"

"Severus, I have much to do before Igor and Olympe arrive, so what can I do for you?"

"Well, for starters, you can amend your plans slightly, Karkaroff won't be coming." The potions master sneered. Dumbledore's eyes went wide and his mouth opened slightly in shock.

"Durmstrang has withdrawn from the tournament?"

"Did I say that? No. I said that Karkaroff would not be coming as he is no longer headmaster."

"What happened?"

"If I hazard a guess, I would say he turned his curiosity on the wrong person. He always was a bit to nosy for his own good. He was found crying in his chambers two days ago with no memories what so ever."

"Curious," The Headmaster commented with a raised eyebrow. "Perhaps if I were allowed to see him, I could eventually restore him. Have they been able to get any useful information from him?"

"You misunderstand me, Albus! His memories were not covered up, they were wiped out completely. And not just a few selected memories, but all of them. His mind is a blank slate."

"Have they captured the person responsible?"

"No, they haven't! All they have is rumor and speculation. The wards surrounding the school all but ensure that it was someone on the inside and the wards surrounding Karkaroff's office eliminates even every member of their staff. They simply didn't have the experience or power needed to overpower them. That only leaves the Krum brothers as suspects but if they were responsible, they covered their tracks perfectly."

"Why would they be suspects?"

"As I said before, they are the only ones with the knowledge and experience needed and once again all we have is rumor and speculation. Apparently there are details about the younger boy, Fedor, that occasionally draws unwanted attention. Those that have been suspicious about him in the past are extremely tight lipped about the subject today and even for the normal everyday gossips that truly have no idea what is going on, it is a subject that just isn't talked about. It would seem that the Krums went to great lengths to keep whatever this is secret. Igor uses whatever information he can get to his own advantage, the only way to keep him quite is to kill him. This course of action solves their problem without a life sentence in prison hanging over their head if they are caught."

"If you are correct, this could be a very serious problem. The last thing we need is a pair of dark wizards running around with access to this school and its students."

"I agree, Headmaster, however, there is no evidence that they were involved nor is there any evidence that they ever used violence in an inappropriate manner." Snape found himself in the rare position of being the devil's advocate. The fact that his curiosity was rising with everything he heard about the two young man certainly had an influence on that. "As for Karkaroff, well, it wasn't that long ago that you, yourself, had been forced to take just such measures."

"That was an entirely different circumstance!" Dumbledore stated firmly. "We were at war and certain information needed to be protected."

"And who's to say that whatever the Krums are hiding is worth any less protection? Without knowing the details you simply cannot determine whether their course of action was a security measure or done with malicious intent."

"What of their father? He was a Death Eater, was he not, could they be trying to hide some aspect of his involvement with Voldemort?"

"No, I don't think so. Though he took the Mark, Aleksander was hardly a Death Eater. He was always fairly powerful but he was a foolish young idealist who believed in the resurgence of wizarding culture. He had nothing against Muggles and Muggleborns personally, but like most in our world, he felt that the muggleborns were trying to force us away from our culture and beliefs to more reflect the society that they came from. With more and more entering the wizarding world every year it's becoming more apparent. Like many, the Dark Lord seduced him by telling him everything he wanted to hear.

"He was firmly against targeting civilians and the torture of prisoners. He was within the group for only a couple of months before the attack on Potter's home. When he found out it was the children that were to be killed, he just left, he didn't want any part in it. After the Dark Lord's 'death' he was left alone because the Aurors didn't have any evidence that he ever participated in any attacks.

"Now, from what I understand, he is a very different man. He will not allow himself to be deceived in any way and there are many out there that would caution you not to try. I would suspect that he raised his children to be the same."

"Very well, we will simply watch the boys for now." Dumbledore spoke up after thinking on his young friend's words for several moments. "When they arrive I would like you to get a feel for them, see what you can find out with…"

"Absolutely not! With their success on the dueling circuit, they are surely well schooled in Occlumency. It is entirely within the realm of possibility that that is exactly what got Igor in trouble. I like my memories right where they are, Headmaster. I will talk to them and their professors, see what I can get from that but I will go no further and I would urge you to do the same. With the Dark Lord sure to return the last thing we need is to make powerful enemies needlessly." Caution and restraint when dealing with children was not a quality that Snape usually displayed but with the many unknown factors of these particular children he wasn't in any hurry to push his luck.

Chapter two coming soon

You may have noticed that for the most part I borrowed Dumbledore's explanation of the tri-wizard tournament from Goblet of Fire.


	2. Chapter 2

Vanishing Illusions

By

Trelawney's Love Toy

Chapter Two

"So, Fedor, how do you plan on dealing with Dumbledore? He's sure to see through your glamour charms." The young man in question leaned back against the railing of the large wooden vessel that would soon transport them to Hogwarts with a pensive expression on his face as he got his thoughts in order.

As one of the primary fundraisers for the Durmstrang portion of the tournament's expenses, the school staff had no problems with Aleksander being on board to spend a little time with his sons before they were to depart. Most fathers would have certainly asked that question long before now, or sat their child down to go over every eventuality, but he had long ago taught both his boys how to solve their own problems. Not to say that Aleksander intended to leave his youngest to the wolves on his own, mind you, but they worked as a team, each covering a specific aspect of any problem they needed to solve and it was up to them to decide how they would go about it. Viktor and Fedor would be dealing with any problems at Hogwarts and their father would deal with the political fallout at the Ministry and in the press should their secret get out.

"I figure I'll just play it by ear. He won't try anything direct until he has absolute proof. He is certainly planning on keeping an eye on me and Viktor but as soon as he figures it out he will turn his attention solely to me. He'll scrounge around for a while, getting all the information he can before he confronts me directly and if that doesn't go the way he wants then he'll bring in the Potters to try to create an emotional bond between us. Only after that fails will he go through the Ministry to take any legal action or even try to take me by force."

"I agree," Aleksander nodded in approval. "With Riddle's attempts at regaining physical form, Dumbledore needs someone who can fulfill that prophecy of his and even he must know that neither Longbottom and especially Potter, just don't have what it takes. Longbottom's afraid of his own shadow and Potter is little more than a media whore."

"True, his actions, and those of his father, at last year's tournament proves that conclusively." Viktor spoke up for the first time. "While he may have some semblance of skill, he has no discipline or drive to get better. He trains when he wants to for how long he wants to and not even his parents push him to do more." He snorted in disgust. In truth, neither Viktor nor Fedor really had anything against the boy until last year. True, he was an arrogant glory hound but it didn't affect them in any way, so they didn't care.

However, at the European Dueling Championships last year, that changed when Potter entered the tournament without even qualifying, allowed to compete simply because he was the 'Boy-Who-Lived', taking the place of a good fighter that had actually earned that position. Despite his lack of experience in competitive dueling he realized who would be hard to beat and successfully 'cleared the road'.

He talked the other duelists into signing a petition to disqualify Fedor. Thirty two, including Potter signed while the other four fighters refused. No reasons were given, all that was said was that if he remained in competition they would all forfeit. James Potter used his position on the International Dueling Commission to submit the petition for review only one day before the tournament was set to begin, effectively making it impossible to get enough fighters together to hold the event should they all quit. So they had the choice of canceling the tournament or disqualifying one, and finding someone else to take his place. Despite the fact that he was their reining champion, the commission chose the second option.

Though on a plus side, James Potter was 'asked' to resign from the council for withholding that petition until the last minute for the sole reason of aiding his son. Publicly, he competed at the adult level that year because he requested it, in truth, it was because the other two age groups above him followed Potter's example and refused to fight him, leaving taking an available slot on the adult circuit as his only option.

Above all, nothing is more despised by the Krum family than cowardice and Potter seemed to have the quality in abundance. If he can't stomach facing a better fighter in a controlled environment, with strict rules to keep the competitors safe, then how is he going to react to a group of men trying to kill him? He would be a liability, nothing more than a hindrance that would be getting in the way.

"Mr. Krum, if you would excuse us, we must get under way! And the sooner the better." Professor Ivanoff, dueling master and acting Headmaster, spoke up gruffly after he climbed on deck. Relief flooding him as he left a near battalion of nosy reporters behind.

"Very well," He responded with a nod. "I expect the two of you to take every precaution but if anyone, student, teacher, reporter or politician gives you any trouble, I expect you to come out on top. Now, I'll see you both at the selection ceremony next week." After bidding their father farewell, Viktor proceeded to his cabin below deck.

"Fedor, please proceed." The boy just nodded as he stood on the center most point and withdrew his wand. The wand movements he had been practicing for the last month flowed effortlessly for nearly thirty seconds before he shouted, _"Barclavus"_, and a shimmering blue dome surrounded the ship before fading from sight while at the same time the feeling of the ship bobbing in the water completely disappeared.

The first part of the spell was designed to keep the water and aquatic wildlife on the outside of the shield when submerged while filtering in oxygen from the water itself. The second part would fix the center of gravity on the ship so that no matter how rough the trip became, everyone would keep their balance. They could flip upside down completely and it is entirely possible that no one would notice.

Under normal circumstances a student probably wouldn't be the best choice to cast this spell but the only staff member capable was their charms instructor, Professor Emelianenko, but he was nearly two hundred years old and was not as robust as he once was. He simply did not have the physical stamina to anchor the spell for an extended period of time while at the same time powering the ship's movements. As a result he had to find someone else to handle that aspect of their journey and Fedor was the best candidate. It took him quite a while to get it right, and even longer to get used to the constant draw on his magic but in the end the ancient professor was quite pleased with the boy's achievement.

Closing his eyes while the dizziness from the magical drain passed, Fedor pulled his heavy fur cloak around himself tightly to fight off the cold. The weather in the vicinity of Durmstrang was severe even during the summer but while winter was approaching in the rest of the northern hemisphere, this far north, it had long since tightened its grasp.

"A little different than casting the spell under simulated conditions, isn't, boy." Professor Emelianenko laughed at his young protégé. "The nausea will pass once your magical energy re-stabilizes. Why don't you go below, and relax while I get this tub moving." Not trusting himself to even open his mouth, Fedor just nodded and proceeded across the deck to the main hatch.

He hated this feeling, in fact, he despised it. The feeling that such a simple action, at least in theory, could leave him so fatigued for even a short while. Like with any other form of energy, magic took greater influence to initiate the spell than it did maintaining it. Once he recovered from the initial casting, he probably wouldn't even notice the constant magical draw unless his spell came under attack. That, however, didn't bring him any comfort. Like any other teenager out in the world, he had his share of enemies, a few of which were on this very ship, and he did not like the fact that he was not one hundred percent should they choose to act before he recovered. Though the chances were very remote, fear was an invaluable tool in keeping such people in line.

XXX

"As I understand it, many of your professor's have let you off with little, if any, class work today since it is thought that your anticipation of our guests arrival later this afternoon is greatly effecting you concentration." 'Mad Eye' Barked loudly as he paced back and forth at the head of his sixth year, Hufflepuff/Gryffindor class. In truth, the only professor to assign any work was Snape and he seemed to want to make up for his colleagues' lack of enthusiasm by assigning as much as he could possibly get away with.

"While I can understand your excitement, that is not a valid excuse for you to neglect your studies completely. There may come a day when what you learn in this classroom could very well save your lives but it will do you no good if you do not have the discipline to focus on the matter at hand.

"With these facts in mind, we will postpone our study of the Unforgivables until next week. Instead we will focus our attention on something more entertaining but also something you can learn a great deal from observation. Take out a quill and parchment and take notes of any questions you may have and voice them after we are finished." Moody growled while taking a swig out of his flask. The students didn't hesitate a moment to follow his instruction.

"Since we will be hosting a couple of dueling champions for the foreseeable future, as well as having a few of our own, many have inquired about reinstating the dueling program here at Hogwarts. Before you can even think about participating in such an activity, you must know what is possible, the strategies involved and most importantly, how to gage your opponent's strengths and weaknesses. Pay close attention. The first match involves someone you all know." With a wave of his wand, a large screen of mist appeared in the front of the room. Slowly, the mist began to clear until a scene as clear as any state of the art muggle television was left in its place, showing a long platform that was completely surrounded by stands with screaming fans. The noise the crowd was making increased in volume as the competitors were being introduced.

First to be introduced was a young man named Günter Antheim, the Austrian National champion. Seeing as how the competition was being held in southern Bavaria, he was clearly going to be the crowd favorite. The next name announced had everyone groaning with the exception of Cedric Diggory who already knew it was coming since he had been on hand for that tournament despite the fact that he did not qualify to compete as he had the year before.

Potter climbed onto the platform and waved and bowed to the crowd, though everyone could see that he was upset that he hadn't warranted a louder ovation. While the name Allen Potter was well known on continental Europe, he was not nearly as revered as he was in England for the simple fact that they didn't have the Daily Prophet and a Minister like Cornelius Fudge constantly raving about how great the boy was. In fact, much of the rest of Europe thought he was a joke.

Everyone watching actually perked up a bit when they saw exactly how well the Boy-Who-Lived preformed. As a whole the duel was hardly awe inspiring. In fact, little Allen was on the defensive a great deal of the time and only won because of a lucky shot.

Throughout the whole thing, Moody had a running commentary going on what mistakes were made and particularly how Potter just seemed to fumble through it with no more strategy than simply throwing as many spells as he could. It was quite enjoyable to see this, especially seeing as how nearly a year later, the boy was still going on about how brilliantly he had preformed.

"Questions!" Moody demanded after ending the images. When no seemed to want to draw the ex-Auror's attention to them, he continued. "Very well, this next match was held during the same competition but in the Adult's division. It is known as one of the most brutal matches in the nine hundred year history of the EDC."

"Krum vs. Krum!" Cedric asked loudly in excitement as he perked up instantly. Moody just silently nodded while everyone looked at the star house seeker in slight confusion. Though he enjoyed dueling a great deal, and Quiditch was certainly not a gentle sport, he was not one that would abide by brutality.

"You will understand once you see it, it defies belief." He explained as he noticed everyone's eyes on him.

"As Mr. Diggory has guessed, this next match we will be viewing is the finale of last year's European championship, Viktor Krum facing his brother Fedor. As they were both competing as adults, the rules are a bit different but we will get to that afterwards. Keep in mind that as this is the finals, they had both already fought and won four matches that same day."

_When the mist cleared once again, the view was completely different. The usual dueling platform was replaced with a large, open circular area and the stands surrounding the ring were much larger and every available space was filled. Nearly the entire crowd were loudly chanting 'Krum, Krum, Krum' but it was unclear of who they were supporting for obvious reasons, though it was a safe bet that the fans were split._

"Both of the Krums quickly became fan favorites even before the end of their first round matches. Their styles are rather unique and they completely dominated the opposition but they still made a good show of it." Cedric commented as an announcer stepped inside the ring and cast the 'sonorus' charm on his throat.

"_Ladies and Gentlemen, we come to our final match of the competition and what a wild one it will be!" The crowd jumped to their feet with thunderous applause and it took the man a couple of minutes to calm them back down._

"_Now, we have seen great things from both of these young men in the past, but this year, free from the restraints of the underage divisions, they have truly left us speechless. A better final we could not have dreamed of. So please, rise and welcome back misters Viktor and Fedor Krum." The crowd of nearly fifty thousand erupted once again as the two young men walked in from the dressing room and made their way through the crowd much like muggle boxers on their way to the ring._

_Both men had some slight swelling and a few small cuts on their faces and hands but over all they looked to be in pretty good shape. Their faces seemed to be set in stone and their eyes betrayed nothing of what they were feeling. In truth, they probably weren't feeling much of anything. They had fought one another numerous times before and this was no different, well, with the exception of a gold medal and a shot at the world championships to go along with the usual bragging rights._

"_For this match, young Fedor will be fighting under the red flag while Viktor will be fighting under the white. Gentlemen, you may begin when ready!" The announcer quickly got out of the ring and once he made it to the sidelines a large shield jumped into being as a precaution to keep the spectators as safe as possible._

_For nearly a minute both fighters just stood opposite each other and stared, not moving a muscle as they looked for any small detail that could give away the other's possible movements. In the end, it was Fedor that broke first and launched a series of bludgeoning hexes and cutting curses at his older brother._

_Viktor was able to block the first spells with relative ease but they wore down his shield enough for the others to shatter it completely, forcing him to dive out of the way. Under normal circumstances this would probably have been the best time to capitalize but he knew his brother to well. They only way he would be able to land a curse at the moment would be to move forward and fire it at point blank range and in a fight that would be the last thing you would want to do. Putting himself within Viktor's grasp would have been suicide, much better to just try to keep himself at a distance for the time being._

_The two traded curses back and forth, neither really coming up with anything until Viktor was able to land a spell that dislocated Fedor's left shoulder with a loud wet pop. The crowd gasped as the young man dropped to one knee as he clenched his teeth in pain. The referee for the match barely had time to raise his small white flag, signaling to the judges that Viktor had scored a point, before the older fighter ran straight at his brother. Once he was only a few yards away his hands lifted into the air and a previously unseen sword, it was disguised as a ring, appeared in his grasp. He wasted no time in bringing the blade down swiftly, aiming right for his brother's head. _

_Fedor reacted instantly, retrieving his own weapon and held it aloft to intercept the other blade. Holding the sword with only one hand, he knew he could not overcome Viktor's physical strength directly but he could deflect the majority of the force instead of absorbing it, which is exactly what he did. Unfortunately, even before the blow was completely deflected, a foot lashed out and caught Fedor right in the sternum, sending him tumbling backwards._

_Before another attack could be launched, he used his wand to temporarily heal his shoulder as he climbed back to his feet. Gripping his wand in his left hand and his sword in his right, he met his brother's charge with one of his own and the battle really got started._

_Circling each other, they exchanged blows and traded curses back and forth, taking no notice of the injuries they were sustaining and ignoring the fact that they should probably keep at least some of their abilities a secret but with competitors such as them, losing is not an option and they would do just about anything to win. _

'_Ah, hell!' Fedor thought to himself as his sword was knocked out of his hand only receive a fist to the face a second later followed up by a few kicks to the ribs._

_Trying to shake off the pain, he quickly rolling to his right before scrambling back to his feet only to see Viktor advancing once again. Thinking quickly, he cast a powerful concussion curse that blasted the two men in opposite directions. While it was true that the spell affected him just as much as his opponent, he felt he didn't really have any choice. At the rate things were going the match would have been over fairly soon and he could not allow that. As it stood now, even though he may have aggravated his injuries more seriously, he at least had a chance to regroup and come up with a new strategy._

_Surprisingly, it was Viktor that was the slower of the two at regaining his footing but judging by his current location, that was perfectly understandable. The force of the blast threw him directly into the shield separating the ring from the crowd. The impact, and the one with the floor immediately following it, certainly couldn't be a comfortable experience._

_The spectators watched in absolute shock as the two young men, brothers even, literally seemed to try to utterly destroy each other. They had never seen anything like it before. It was shocking, it was horrifying… It was the greatest thing they had ever seen._

_After nearly forty five minutes of fighting, both were calling on their last reserves of energy in an almost vein attempt to come out on top. Their moves were slower, more sluggish and it was obvious to everyone watching that this match could very well end in a tie should both fighters collapse unconscious before a clear winner is decided. The scoreboard reflected that they were nearly neck and neck in points so it was actually a very real possibility. After the show they've seen the crowd probably wouldn't care either. After such a fight, it would be a right shame for one of them to walk away the loser._

_However, like a many things, once you begin discussing the likelihood of certain actions taking place, they are immediately confirmed or denied. In this case, Fedor, who was leaning against the shield for a bit of support, actually summoned his brother to him, and at an incredible rate no less. At the last moment, he hobbled out of the way, allowing Viktor to slam into the barrier, face first. Just to be sure, he repeated the process once more before dropping him to the ground and stunning him._

_Taking a few calming breaths, Fedor sank to his knees and crawled his way over to his brother to be sure that he was in no danger, well, immediate danger at any rate. Deciding that the healers and event staff could do perfectly well without him, Fedor gave in to his exhaustion and slumped to the floor._

After vanishing the mist one final time, Moody turned back to his class to see them all starring straight ahead with looks of absolute shock on their faces. Like the spectators that had been present for the match, they had never seen its like before much less involving a boy three years younger themselves.

"I told you it would be good!" Cedric commented a bit smugly, which was a bit out of character for him but he felt it was justified. Besides, their reactions were just to amusing.

"Good, GOOD! HOW CAN YOU SAY THAT'S GOOD?" His friend Amber Knightly shrieked. "They're brothers for Merlin's sake, and they were killing each other in there, and for what? Just to win a stupid competition?"

"That's just the way they are, Amber. It doesn't matter that they're related, when they compete, they go out to win. From what Viktor told me, their sparring sessions are quite similar to that in terms of ferocity, though they take more safety precautions. They go at each other with everything they have because it's the only way for them to get better."

"Wait! You know them?"

"Not very well, really. I met them the year before that match, Viktor eliminated me in the second round that year and a bunch of us went out and got drunk afterwards."

"You got drunk with a twelve year old?"

"Hey, he may have been twelve at the time but he was the most grown up twelve year old I've ever met. Probably more mature than most of the seventh years here." Cedric tried to defend himself.

"All that aside," Moody interrupted. "Are there any questions?"

"I have one, well two anyway." Angelina Johnson spoke up from where she was sitting next to Lee Jordan. "Why was the dueling area in the two matches different and also was the use of swords actually legal, I can't remember ever seeing that in any competitions I've seen?"

"Obviously you've only seen minors compete! Underage witches and wizards perform on standard dueling platforms as a safety precaution. With such a small area to move around, matches usually last only a fraction of the time as those of fully qualified fighters, leaving it much less likely that magical exhaustion will become a serious issue. Also, in these matches, it is strictly magic only, even physical contact with your opponent is forbidden. For the adults that is different. They can use whatever weapons they have at their disposal as long as they are agreed upon by both parties prior to the match. The only exception to this is the three Unforgivable curses, so everything you saw was perfectly legal as the Krum brothers agreed that there would be no restrictions on what weapons and tactics could be used. Nowadays, the use of handheld weapons and hand to hand fighting is fairly rare, primarily because magical folk usually feel that they are above such things.

"Now, I showed you these to particular duels to emphasis a very important point. Potter's duel was a perfect example of how inexperienced school children fight. No matter how much you train and practice your spell work, it is no substitute for actual experience. The Krum match however shows you how a skilled enemy will take the fight to you. If any student in this school were to go against an experienced Auror or even a Death Eater, you would be carried away in pine box within minutes. While it is unlikely that the Tri-Wizard Tournament will include a dueling competition, those of you that intend to enter would be served well by working on your physical conditioning and practicing these techniques as much as you can during you spare time."

XXX

By the time classes had ended for the day, the story of what Professor Moody had shown his sixth and seventh year classes had spread like wildfire. Most of the students were greatly interested in meeting the Krum brothers, Viktor more so due to his impressive Quiditch career, while there were several that showed fear of any Durmstrang student entering Hogwarts at all. They did have a rather nasty reputation after all.

Potter, however, was feeling a mixture of fear and anger. Fear because he rightfully knew that he was no match for Durmstrang's two leading candidates, and anger due to the fact that even the English press was predicting a Durmstrang win if either of the two were selected. They didn't give even HIM a chance. According to his Godfather, Remus Lupin, the betting was fast and furious already and the goblins gave him twelve to one odds on selection. For a boy that spent his entire life in the spotlight, it was not comforting to have it suddenly shift to someone else, especially a foreign Death Eater like Krum.

Even Allen knew that he was arrogant, but he honestly felt that he had every right to be. He believed that simply being the Boy-Who-Lived put him on a level far beyond his peers. They certainly wouldn't be able to defeat a Dark Lord even with all the education they've received and he did it before he could even talk. While certain he would be chosen as Hogwarts champion, he decided that he may have to take extra steps to ensure that it happens. Even his father didn't know how the selection was to take place so until he found out for sure he would just have to make certain that his performance got him noticed in class which was actually a bit harder than one would realize. He and Snape despised each other and all the other professors were always fawning over that stuffy bookworm Granger.

Under normal circumstances, he would probably do his best to avoid Krum as much as possible. While Viktor was obviously a very dangerous person, it was Fedor that had him worried. Ignoring his obvious power and skill, there was just something about him that seemed almost familiar, and it certainly was not a welcomed feeling. The few times he had come across the other boy during last year's competition he could literally feel his eyes on him and he felt nothing but his loathing and contempt.

Unfortunately, the only way to avoid him would be to stay out of the Tri-Wizard Tournament altogether. His need for attention and praise, however, overrode any fear he had for Fedor. He simply couldn't sit off to the side while others were the center of attention.

XXX

Professor Dumbledore stood outside on the grounds with the rest of his staff at his side and the top ten students from each year arrayed in their best robes behind him as they waited for all their guests to arrive. Madam Maxime and her contingent of Beauxbatons students had already made their appearance and were off to the side. The Hogwarts student ohhed and ahhed over the carriages drawn by winged horses, known as Abraxan, and everyone began speculating on how the Durmstrang representatives would arrive, though they didn't have long to wait.

A startled shout by a third year student drew everyone's attention to the lake where water was bubbling up about halfway out, as if it were boiling. Whatever was on their minds, judging by the gasps and shouts of surprise, they weren't expecting to see a large ship shooting to the surface, the bow high in the air before it came crashing back down again, sending several large waves slamming into the shore. Many students with experience in the muggle world were reminded of seeing pictures or videos of submarines surfacing in a similar manner.

Most of the younger students, and even many of the older, looked on with slacked jaws as the ship rocked back and forth roughly for several moments as they noticed several people on deck, taking no notice of the ship's erratic movements.

"Must be some kind of gravitational field." Hermione Granger muttered to herself, determined to research the spells used and learn to cast them herself.

"Indeed Ms. Granger!" Professor Flitwick confirmed as he looked at her with pride, though she took no notice as she tried to think of where to start her search.

After the rather dramatic appearance, unloading the ship's passengers was relatively quick. Once the ship had come to a rest several longboats were lowered and then launched moments later. This group was a little larger than Beauxbatons' and the students were marching up the grounds in two columns behind their professors, dressed in blood red robes under their furs. Before they reached the castle itself, one of the professors, who Snape recognized as Gregory Ivanoff, their new Headmaster, and approached Madam Maxime first, apparently taking no notice of Dumbledore. The rest of the group came to a rest directly in front of the Hogwarts Headmaster.

"Albus, is good to see you again." Professor Emelianenko greeted formally as he shook Dumbledore's hand.

"Andrei, welcome to Hogwarts." Dumbledore answered back after briefly glancing at the students. "I take it that dampening field was your work?" He asked with a twinkle in his eye, referring to the gravitational spell. Emelianenko was not amused by the small joke.

"Don't get cute with me, Albus." He snapped back, surprising the Hogwarts staff and students. "Even you, the 'All Powerful Dumbeldore', are much too old to hold such a spell for an extended period and still remain functional. As it stood, I had to delegate the responsibility to one of my students."

"Wha… One of your students?" He asked in shock. "Are they alright?"

"Why don't you ask him yourself. Albus, meet Fedor Krum!" A bit smugly, Andrei gestured to the younger of the two students in front. For a moment, Dumbledore just looked at the young man in surprise. He couldn't believe that someone so young could handle a spell like that with no adverse effects, then the name struck him and it seemed to make sense. From what he had heard of the boy thus far, this task did not seem too hard to believe.

He stood about five foot eight, had shoulder length black hair and his facial features were reminiscent of his brother's, who stood beside him. However, there was something off about him. His image seemed to vibrate slightly, as if he were looking at the boy through a lens that was shaking. His suspicions were confirmed when he focused harder and the glamour charms the boy was obviously under fell away.

At first he was greatly confused as he seemed to be looking at one of his own students, well except for the long hair and the strange scar on his forehead. Looking to his right, he saw that young Mr. Potter was indeed with his own classmates with a look of profound dislike as he looked and the younger Krum.

Fedor just looked at the old man as he looked between him and Potter several times in confusion before his eyes widened in shock. Seeing a man like Dumbledore gaping like a fish was always amusing. Once he appeared to get himself under some measure of control Fedor began feeling a light probe towards the front of his mind, looking for any weaknesses in his defenses. With a sneer and with little effort, he pushed one thought forward.

"_You would do well to keep this information to yourself, old man!"_

AN: I'm not happy with this chapter at all and I'm sure you can understand why but I promise it will get better.


	3. Chapter 3

**AN: **Okay, from now on, when speaking English, the words will be normal script while any other language will be in italics. I don't have the patience to write out someone's accent so I'm afraid you are just going to have to imagine the butchered language.

Vanishing Illusion

By

Trelawney's Love Toy

Chapter Three

Headmaster Albus Dumbledore continued to pace around his office, just as he had been doing for several hours now. The feast, welcoming the Beauxbatons and Durmstrang students had gone off without a hitch and the selection of the school champions had been explained in detail. Most were excited about the whole process, debating how the Goblet of Fire would chose one over the others. Some were a little wary of trusting the task to an object they knew nothing about and a small portion were even angry that they couldn't think of a way to manipulate the device. On a whole, however, excitement dominated any other emotion among the student body. But despite the success of the evening, Dumbledore's mind was occupied on other matters.

From what he had learned from his various sources, Fedor Krum was among the most powerful wizards of his generation, but beyond that, he had the skill and dedication to use that power to its full potential. That, in and of itself, is rare for a boy his age as teenagers tend to be a bit flighty and often lose interest in various activities before moving on to something else. Both of the Krum boys seemed almost immune to this characteristic, however, and as a result, they have moved further in their studies than most would think possible.

Under normal circumstances he would simply call the boys an anomaly and not think much on it, while at the same time, keeping a very close eye on them to make sure they did not act in aggression towards his students. Unfortunately, the situation was far from normal. If what he saw this evening was correct, it would change everything he had believed in and planned for these last thirteen years.

He had kept a discreet eye on the boy throughout the feast and was more than a little unsettled. The lightening bolt like scar that marred his forehead gave off an unpleasant feeling of death and decay to all those with both the talent and experience to literally feel the magic around them. The only time he had felt its like before was when examining murder victims only to find that they had been hit with the killing curse. Allen Potter had this same feel to him after the attack on his family's home but it was far less prevalent and it lasted only a few days, leaving them with the assumption that he was able to somehow rebound or blocked the killing curse intended for him.

If what he was feeling was accurate, then it was not any action by Allen at all, but his brother that was actually _hit _by the curse. Being in such proximity to such a dark curse would certainly explain why Allen had been unconscious when found as well as the minuet traces of dark magic. However, if Fedor truly is Harry Potter, then why was he taken in the first place and why was his brother left behind to be found by his parents?

Dumbledore knew perfectly well that this could all be some sort of ploy, possibly by Voldemort or even the Krums themselves, trying to seize power themselves before the Dark Lord could return, but it would certainly explain a great deal. Such as this secret the family had gone to great lengths to keep hidden.

Though many would argue that Aleksander Krum, despite taking the dark mark, was an honorable man, Dumbledore could think on no honorable reason for kidnapping a child, especially if he were at the Potter house that night and did nothing to stop Voldemort. He could only have underhanded intentions in mind for the boy should he prove to truly be Harry Potter.

His other primary concern was the eventual return of Voldemort. To his way of thinking, the prophecy meant that Allen Potter was the one that would bring about his final destruction but if that lightening bolt scar was what he believed it to be, then he was wrong about that as well. The prophecy clearly states that '_he will mark him as his equal'_, and that scar could easily be taken as such a _mark_, making Harry the logical choice, not Allen.

The only other two candidates have shown very little in the way of potential where dealing with a wizard as powerful as Voldemort was concerned. Neville, after years of being raised by his domineering grandmother, though the Headmaster suspected that it was mostly due to his fear of meeting the same fate as his parents, was meek and shy, just wanting to study his plants and get by without drawing attention to himself.

Allen was the complete opposite in every way. He loved the limelight and would do anything to get it, but was reluctant, even petulant, when it came to achieving his goals. The only one of his trainers to ever get one hundred percent out of the boy was Alastor Moody, but that quickly changed after Lily forbid him from entering their home again after he blasted the boy across the training room when he kept whining about wanting to stop for the day. Mad Eye was only too happy to lose that particular job, he had better things to do with his time than baby-sit a spoiled celebrity.

No, if Fedor Krum was truly Harry Potter then he was the best candidate. The only problem was that the boy had been raised by a Death Eater and judging by what he had learned, he may very well be more inclined to join Voldemort rather than oppose him. That was something he would certainly have to change.

XXX

Fedor left the ship the following morning with a few close friends, his cousin Anna, Artemis Portokalos and Auto Gerlach, and headed across the grounds towards Hogwarts for breakfast. During the night, a sturdy bridge was put in place, connecting the ship to the shore of the lake. While the longboats were a fast and easy method of disembarking, the bridge made things much simpler.

The group of four were all dressed in their customary blood red robes but they had chosen to forego the fur cloaks for the day which was shaping up to be quite pleasant. Really, what had these English whining about cold weather was nothing more than a minor autumn chill.

The few Hogwarts or Beauxbatons students that were out on the ground so early on a Saturday morning, abandoned what they were doing and ran back into the castle, having a very good idea of what was going to happen. While they had each seen at least one person put their name into the Goblet of Fire since they had risen out of bed, none of them were expected to be selected, it might very well react differently to someone who was almost a guarantee.

Just before passing through the massive doors leading into the entrance hall, their small group was joined by Viktor and his friend, Friedrich Conrad. No words were spoken as they walked inside to see a fairly large group of students already crowded around the ancient artifact. Among those present was a young man Viktor recognized as Cedric Diggory, who was just placing his name in the cup. The Hogwarts students cheered as a semi bright green flame belched briefly before going dormant once again.

The hall went quite as the Durmstrang students approached and silently placed bits of parchment with their names written on them into the cup. Fedor cast an appraising look at the age line that surrounded the area before shaking his head in disgust. The 'security', as Dumbledore called it, to ensure that younger students did not enter the competition did nothing but prevent them from entering themselves, there was nothing inhibiting an older student from entering the name of their younger schoolmates. He was about to comment on this shoddy work and lack of detail when his brother nudged his shoulder and led him to the other side of the hall.

"Cedric Diggory, tis good to see you again!" Viktor greeted in heavily accented English.

"Viktor, Fedor." The Hufflepuff responded with a nod before smirking playfully. "It's a shame you two spent so much time with the healers, last year's party was excellent. Looks like it very well may become a tradition."

"Ah yes, getting drunk after engaging in combat! What more could a man want? Though, as it stands, we would gladly miss any celebration in exchange to find such a challenge in competition." Viktor nodded in agreement to his brother's statement. While they fight each other fiercely when training, they do hold back a great deal to prevent injury. That tournament was the first time either of them had pushed themselves to the limit against each other.

After introductions were made between Cedric's friends and their own, they were invited to have breakfast at the Hufflepuff table which they gladly accepted. The Great Hall wasn't crowded at all at this time in the morning so they didn't have any problem finding enough room to sit down together. While most of those present were looking at them with varying expressions on their faces, one student in particular caught Fedor's attention. Judging by the length of her torso and legs, he gathered that she was a little less than five and a half feet tall when standing and her features were dominated by a mass of bushy brown hair.

The look of her eyes, however, he could not decipher. It held fear, hostility, lust, greed and a great many other emotions as she watched him almost like a predator. Not exactly a look that he had seen many pull off and it confused him greatly.

"Cedric, who is dat girl?" He asked once they had all sat down. Raising an eyebrow for just a moment, the older boy glanced over towards the Gryffindor table where Fedor had indicated. What he saw was a common sight. Ron and Ginny Weasley and Neville Longbottom, sitting with two Ravenclaws, Hermione Granger and Luna Lovegood. Seeing one of the group staring at his young dining companion, Cedric had to assume that was the one he had indicated. Hermione suddenly realized that she was the one that was now under observation and quickly diverted her eyes. However, Cedric was still able to see the look in her eyes, a look that was well known throughout Hogwarts.

"That's Hermione Granger, she's probably the most inquisitive person I've ever met. She'll study anything and anyone that catches her interest and it would seem that you have done just that." He explained with a sly grin causing those around them to laugh out loud.

"So, how is the competition treating you so far this season?" Amber knightly asked after everyone calmed down. She was honest enough with herself to admit that she was slightly intimidated by the two young men but falling into an uncomfortable silence would have been much worse than speaking up herself.

"It isn't!" Viktor growled in annoyance. "We have been forbidden from competition."

"WHAT?" Cedric asked loudly after he coughed up a bit of eggs. "Why would they do that?"

"Bulgarian Ministry denied our applications and physicals at start of season. They feel that we would best serve our people representing Durmstrang in Tri-Wizard Tournament. Viktor was even 'asked' to take Quiditch off for the duration of the tournament when play begins again after the New Year. They believe that even if someone else is chosen, Viktor and I will be invaluable training resources, and thus, our prior commitments were pushed aside."

"So you knew about the Tournament before you even arrived at school?"

"Of course, Ministry would tell us very little so we had to dig for it ourselves. They took away what we enjoyed doing best so we were not going to simply accept their attitude of 'you will understand once you arrive at school'. That just isn't going to work. It was ridiculously easy to find what we needed and we were sorely disappointed with what we found. Dueling seems much more enjoyable!"

"You sound like you don't really want to be here!"

"In truth, we don't!" Fedor answered honestly. "We had no intention of entering this tournament, Karkaroff and Ministry thought otherwise and here we are. We would much prefer to just continue our regular activities but if we stayed behind some of our friends would likely have done the same and they could hardly allow their most powerful students to stay behind."

"What would you rather be doing? Other than dueling or Quiditch, I mean!" A boy sitting next to Amber, whom Cedric had introduced as Keith Weyland, asked in a confused tone. Why would anyone not want to enter the tournament, especially if they had the best chance of winning?

"Well, we enjoy hunting and capturing magical creatures that have become a little to violent with the humans and other living beings they come across. I think the most dangerous one we've come across was a rabid Norwegian Ridgeback. It took us several hours to put him down but it was fun all the same." Fedor explained easily while everyone was looking at the two brothers as if they were insane.

"A damn shame you weren't here to years ago!" Amber muttered to herself but continued when those from Durmstrang all turned their curious eyes to her, waiting for an explanation. "There was some sort of creature on the loose that managed to petrify the caretaker's cat as well as a first year Gryffindor student."

"Well if they obviously got rid of the creature then what difference could we have made?"

"Because they didn't get rid of it at all. As far as we know, it's still right where it's been for the last thousand years. No one knows what it really is either." The Hufflepuffs took the time to fill them in on the legend of the Chamber of Secrets as well as the events of a couple years previous when Ginny Weasley, then a first year, was possessed by the spirit of a dark wizard who used her body to open the chamber and unleash the beast that was held within.

For a short while, fear was at an all-time high within the school until Ginny went to the infirmary, complaining about blacking out on several occasions and simply not knowing where she had been. In the ensuing investigation the culprit, an old diary, was found and destroyed. Apparently one of the girl's brothers had been very good friends with Allen Potter up until this time but he ended that friendship after Potter used the situation to advance himself, claiming that the attacks had stopped because he had found the entrance to the Chamber of Secrets and driven the beast away. The only problem with this tale was that he could not show anyone where the entrance was, saying only that it was safer if it remained hidden. But he also couldn't tell you with certainty what the creature was or even what it looked like.

The entire student body knew he was lying but the rest of wizarding Britain took this as just another reason to hail their hero. Fedor just snorted at this bit of information. It certainly wasn't the first time the boy had used that very same tactic.

In his first year he had actually led two of his friends, one being Ron Weasley, on some idiotic mission to save the Philosopher's Stone from Voldemort who had been inhabiting the body of their current Defense instructor. In the end, all three had been captured and were about to be killed when Dumbledore showed up to save their necks. Once again, Potter had twisted the story to make himself seem the hero. If you heard him tell the tale you wouldn't even realize that Dumbledore or even his friends were present, it was just him.

"So who is dis girl?" Viktor asked with a hungry look on his face. Cedric just looked at him oddly for a moment before pointing towards the Gryffindor table.

"She's the one with the bright red hair." Viktor just nodded silently before standing up and moving across the hall.

"What's he going to do?"

"I would suspect that he intends to find out what that creature is and how to get into this secret chamber."

"But we already told you, she would black out, she doesn't remember anything."

"You are correct, however, the memories are still there, they are merely buried deep below the surface. Someone skilled in Legillamency could either restore the memory completely or view it themselves and leave it where it is."

"But its illegal to use Legillamency on a minor!"

"Unless it is completely consensual. And even then, its only illegal if you get caught."

"Hello!" Fedor looked up and was only mildly surprised to see Hermione Granger standing slightly behind him looking over he saw his brother had sat down in the seat the girl vacated that was right next to Ginny Weasley. "Do you mind if I sit down?"

"Please do!" He replied after thinking it over for a few moments. He had been in this position numerous times before but judging by the slight chuckles of those around him he got the distinct feeling that his mind may be going in the wrong direction.

"I'm Hermione Granger, by the way."

"Fedor Krum. Now what was it I could do for you?"

"Well, I actually had a number of questions that I've been wondering about for some time now and I felt that you may be in the perfect position to answer them for me."

"Such as?"

"I don't want to sound interfering or anything, but why doesn't Durmstrang accept muggleborn students?" Everyone went silent, the Hufflepuffs were watching their guests with a bit of trepidation and they in turn were looking at Hermione as if she had just shouted a grievous insult. Fedor merely looked at her with a raised eyebrow before laughing loudly.

"I take it that you are a muggleborn yourself?" Just realizing how her question must have sounded, Hermione face went beet red as she nodded slightly.

"As I said, I didn't want to sound interfering, but I can't abide by racism of any type and I just wanted to get the perspective of someone from a different magical society as apposed to the one here in England."

"Well, to answer your question, Durmstrang does not admit muggleborns out of necessity, not racism. Unlike Hogwarts, that only allows students coming from within the British Isles, Durmstrang and Beauxbatons admits students from all over Europe. While Beauxbatons focuses on France, Spain, Italy, Portugal and other surrounding countries, Durmstrang handles all of eastern Europe, even the Middle East and North Africa. That alone is an awful lot of witches and wizards, if they began admitting muggleborns as well the student body would be astronomical, far too high for the school and teaching staff to handle. Beauxbatons has more facilities and thus can afford to extend its enrollment.

Also, there is a very serious problem plaguing our world where the muggleborns are concerned. They know absolutely nothing of our culture, so they are sent to other schools where along with magic, they are taught about our world in general, our customs, history and beliefs. After a muggleborn has fully embraced our world, they could do anything, run for public office, even minister of magic, they could even send their children to Durmstrang even if they could not go themselves. It's a pity really that Britain has not picked up this same policy, and as such students such as yourself will find that you will never be able to rise passed a certain point on the social or professional ladder."

"What is so bad about a muggleborn, or anyone for that matter, going against tradition to make the world better?" Hermione snapped.

"Ah, but they are not necessarily trying to make the world better, many are just trying to transform our society into that which they came from. Most muggles would look at our world and view it as backward in many ways…"

"It is," She interrupted. "An institution of slavery is a perfect example!"

"I assume you are referring to house elves? What you people don't seem to understand, or chose to ignore, is the fact that their magic and their very lives depend on that servitude. They have been bound to wizards for so long that they no longer have any magical core of their own and since they are creatures that depend on magic, they would die soon after the connection to their master was broken. They would live for probably several months, but no longer than a year or two. I would suggest that you actually speak to an elf about this subject before jumping to conclusions.

"But the muggle world has slavery as well, the only difference is that in the muggle world people are kidnapped off the streets and sent oversees or foolishly agree to work off the price of transport to another country, in which case they are immediately pushed into prostitution or put to work in sweat shops. But back to our original subject.

"In most European countries, with the exception of England, there are little to no real restrictions on what a muggleborn can do once they have finished their education and accepted our world as it is. England backed off this same practice about two hundred years ago when a muggleborn minister actually tried to rejoin our two worlds."

"That isn't necessarily a bad thing, we can help each other a great deal, whether its with more advanced medicines or technologies. There is no telling how far the human race could go if we all worked together. Modern technology could revolutionize the magical world and just a few weeks ago I read about a potion that could actually cure all types of cancer."

"And how do we decide who should receive these treatments?" Fedor was barely able to hold back a slight smirk as the girl looked at him in confusion.

"You should know by now that magical plants need the natural magic that the earth gives off to survive and there are very few such areas world wide. There is absolutely no way to replicate these conditions, whether by human magic or technology, there simply would not be enough to go around even if you harvested the plants to extinction. There are tens of millions of people afflicted with cancer world wide, at best, you could cure ten thousand, more realistically you could cure three to four thousand.

"As for muggle technology, while some aspects of it could make our world better, none of it could be used in areas saturated with magic. Yes, I know, there are ways to adapt these devices to work off of magic, but if you were to bring such a charmed object to someplace like Hogwarts, the Ministry or your Diagon Ally, the magic is likely to mutate, possibly even giving the object a life of its own, rendering it useless, leaving its destruction the only option.

"One other major concern, if you ignore all the religious hysteria and predictable hate, jealousy and fear that magical people would be faced with if our secrecy was abandoned, would be the sudden knowledge that many mythical beasts were in fact real. How long do you think it would take before a vast number of hunting parties went out looking for unicorns, dragons, sphinxes or even a manticore, to put in some zoo or even mount on their wall? What would happen if one or more of these hunters were killed and some government decided that the creatures were too dangerous to leave in the wild? These are not simple horses or elephants, they are sentient beings, some of which have an intelligence that surpasses our own. If they were to become hunted, they would likely cease supporting wizarding kind. That means no more phoenix feathers, unicorn hairs or any number of other substances that are used for wands or potions. Our way of life could very well cease to exist." Hermione sat for a few moments to think this over but before she could voice her thoughts Viktor ran up to them and began speaking very fast in a language she did not understand.

"_IT'S A BASILISK, THEY HAVE A GOD DAMNED BASILISK! RIGHT HERE IN THIS SCHOOL!" _He Shouted in excitement. Those from Durmstrang and even some of the Beauxbatons and Hogwarts students looked at him in shock and fear. Fedor, however, looked just as excited as his brother.

"_Where is it? Do you know how to get in?"_

"_I know where it is but you will have to take a look at the girl's thoughts for the how part. She certainly doesn't like anyone poking around in her head but she was most receptive to the idea of killing the beast."_

"_So you want to go after it?"_

"_Of course!" _Viktor responded, giving his brother a perplexed look, wondering why he even felt the need to voice such a ridiculous question.

"_Just making sure we're on the same page," _Fedor defended himself._ "Well then, let's see how we get in to this chamber."_

"_I'll go grab our gear!"_

"What was that all about?" Cedric asked Auto Gerlach after Viktor and Fedor had left the table.

"Vell, it seems to be dat da monster in dat chamber is a Basilisk…" Auto began but was cut off by Anna, who responded in an exasperated tone.

"And my idiot cousins vant to kill it!"

XXX

"Why do you have to look through my mind when your brother already has?" Ginny asked, not giving Fedor any time to talk when he arrived at the Gryffindor table.

"Viktor got the location of the chamber from you but he wasn't able to understand the opening mechanism. I have much more experience with these sorts of things."

"So you're planning on killing it?"

"Of course, Viktor's going to get our stuff now. We plan on going as soon as I can figure out how to open the entrance." Ginny thought it over for several long moments before nodding her head slightly. She had already let one person into her mind so why not a second if it led to the death of such a vile creature.

Viktor returned to the Great Hall with two large leather duffle bags just as he was finishing up. As an afterthought, the two made their way up to the head table and stopped in front of Professor Ivanoff while at the same time waving Professor Broan over.

"_Professors, we just thought that we would inform you that we have a little work to take care of but we appreciate any extra credit we could get."_ After all, possibly being able to graduate early would certainly be a bonus.

"_I assume from Broan's involvement in the conversation, this work of yours involves some sort of creature? What kind?"_

"_A Basilisk." _Fedor responded in an emotionless tone as his new headmaster's eyes went wide.

"_How big?"_

"_Don't know for sure, but if reports are accurate then it's well over one thousand years old. Obviously a serpent that old will be quite large."_

"_Indeed,"_ Professor Broan replied before stroking his chin a bit. _"I'm sure we could think of something that would benefit you in both of our classes. IF, you don't get yourselves killed, that is."_ The two just nodded before walking out of the hall with several from the Hufflepuff and Gryffindor tables looking at them in shock while everyone else was wondering what was going on.

Once they made it out the doors, they ran the remaining distance to the second floor bathroom that was haunted by a ghost referred to as Moaning Myrtle, hoping to be inside the chamber before Dumbledore got wind of what they were doing and try to put a stop to it. It took them very little time to reach their destination, unfortunately, they were not the only ones there.

Viktor and Fedor looked back and forth between the teary eyed ghost in front of them and the form of Cedric Diggory, who had followed them in.

"What are you doing here?" The ghost demanded harshly.

"We're here because we needed a little privacy." Cedric explained calmly. Myrtle glared at him in a scrutinizing fashion for a moment before shrieking loudly and diving headlong into a nearby toilet.

"We better hurry, right after you left, Potter went to speak with Professor Dumbledore."

"We? You're coming with us?" Fedor asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Do you have any experience with this sort of thing?" Viktor cut his brother off before he could shoot the idea down.

"Not a bit, no."

"Good, no worries then. Well, brother, open it up." Fedor glared at his brother for a moment as he tried to think of a way to do this without exposing his Parseltongue abilities. In the end he decided to go with the simple approach. Drawing his wand, he pushed just enough magic into it to light up the tip before holding it to his throat.

"_Open up!"_ Cedric jumped back slightly, surprised both from the use of the serpent tongue and the fact that a nearby sink suddenly sank into the floor and out of sight leaving an opening big enough for a large man to pass through. _"Stairs!"_

"_ALL STUDENTS ARE TO REPORT TO THE GREAT HALL IMMEDIATELY!"_ Dumbledore's voice echoed throughout the school.

"Shall we?" Fedor called over his shoulder before making his way down the stairs into the darkness. It took a few minutes to reach the bottom but they made the journey in silence. Viktor and Fedor were pretty calm about the situation while Cedric was close behind them with his wand drawn, feeling out the walls beside him to make sure there was nothing that would come out after him when he passed. Once they reached the bottom, the three looked around to find that there was only one possible direction for them.

"So, what was wrong with that ghost?" Fedor asked Cedric with slight confusion.

"She's a bit temperamental." He explained. "Whenever anyone says anything that could be construed as hurtful to even the slightest extent, it sets her off. Unless she gets angry, then she starts yelling _before_ she cries and runs away. Pretty sad really, makes me wonder what her life was like or how she died."

"I don't know about her life but I would suspect that her death would be fairly obvious. You said that one student was killed when this chamber was opened in the '40's. Just a bit coincidental, don't you think, that she would be haunting that particular bathroom, wearing robes that are not all that out of style." Fedor explained before asking his brother how he wanted to go about this.

"Let's wait until we get into the main chamber and get a better idea of its dimensions, seeing it in reality and seeing it in someone else's mind are two completely different things."

"So, you're a parselmouth?" Cedric asked without a hint of judgment as they walked through the darkened corridor. They had just passed an extremely large snake skin and he needed something to take his mind off it.

"No, I'm not. I got interested in the ability when I was young so I started collecting snakes and studied the way they communicated with each other. Eventually I began picking up simple words or phrases and it just grew until I could understand them completely. I still lacked the physical ability to speak to them myself so with my father's help I developed a translation charm that did the job." It wasn't that he didn't trust the older boy but he didn't really know him that well and he wouldn't put it past Dumbledore to use Legillamency on his own students.

"So can you teach anyone how to cast it?"

"I guess I could, but it would do them no good. From what I can tell, you have to be able to understand the language first. Unlike translation charms that simply take what you say and convert it to the desired language, this charm simply allows you to use a language that you normally wouldn't be capable of. If you were to cast it, you would, no doubt, be hissing nonsense without any idea what the sounds meant."

"Quiet, we're almost there." Viktor snapped back at them as they approached a heavy iron door that was standing wide open. As they stepped through into the main chamber, Cedric began looking around wildly with his wand raised. Seeing this, Fedor couldn't help but grin.

"Calm down, Cedric, it's in a room behind that statue of Slytherin with a hibernation charm cast over it."

"Oh, so you could just kill it when it's asleep? Plus, apparently it's been hibernating for a few years now, it can't be in very good shape, going that long without food." He sounded very relieved with this piece of information.

"To answer your first question, actually, no, we can't. The only way in there is through the mouth of that statue and as soon as it open, or any magic is cast upon it, the charm is lifted and it will come out. And for your second question, its hibernation will have little to no impact on the beast's strength. I'm not sure how it was cast but a nourishment charm was interwoven with the hibernation charm, making sure that no matter how long it slept, it would wake up the very picture of health. And as you mentioned, it will probably be very hungry and it has many very large teeth."

"You're a real barrel of laughs, you know that?" The Hufflepuff snapped when he saw the younger man's grin. Fedor chuckled for a brief moment before dropping his bag onto the floor. Releasing the two large buckles, he unrolled it to reveal a wide assortment of blades that looked deadly just to look at.

"Viktor?" Fedor called, holding up a large spade shaped blade with a two foot long handle.

"Could work, if we get good enough position." He said before walking toward the front of the chamber slowly, taking in every detail of the pillars lining the walls.

"What is that, it's too small to be a spear and to big to be anything else." His question was answered when Fedor turned it sideways and the handle immediately grew by four feet. "Wow."

"Yeah, we use these with a lot with larger game that have a lot of defenses, such as dragons. The blade has a mixture of phoenix tears and Manticore venom, they'll go through damn near anything if you put enough weight behind it."

"I'm not an expert on potions or anything but wouldn't mixing those two be unstable?" Cedric asked while thinking about everything he had ever learned about mixing various ingredients.

"Confounding, is it not?" Fedor responded with a grin. "My father found that when you mix the two in molten steel, it not only incinerates some of the more unstable elements, but it also makes the steel stronger. These are probably among the strongest blades in the world. Here, take these!" Taking the odd looking goggles, he just looked at them for a moment before bringing them up to his face to look through. Apart from looking strangely darker, the chamber looked the same, really. He looked towards his younger companion for an explanation.

"They negate all magic. When looking through them you see nothing but the physical. Prefect for looking through disillusionment charms, invisibility spells, various concealment wards and surprisingly handy for dealing with creatures with a magical stare, wouldn't you agree." Cedric just nodded rapidly while he pulled them on immediately, not taking any chance on the thing getting out before they planned.

"Why do you carry four pairs?"

"I only have two pairs, the other two serve a different purpose."

"So did your father make these as well?"

"No, I made and tested them myself."

"Tested them yourself? You actually stared into a Basilisk's eyes just to see if they would work?" Cedric asked in a shocked tone as he looked at the boy as if he were insane.

"Of course, however I had to go to Indonesia to find one mature enough to get an accurate test but the trip was well worth it." He didn't bother mentioning that he had tested them on several varieties of animals before he would even think about trying himself.

"_FEDOR!"_ Victor shouted from the front of the chamber. _"Quit talking and get up here!"_

"Ah, I have to go now, mother's calling. Now, get back behind that door and keep those goggles on at all times until we are sure that it's dead. And take this," He continued as he trust his spear into his hands. "If he kills us, you're pretty much fucked, but who knows, maybe you have a chance to kill him before you slowly die of starvation and dehydration."

"Your heartfelt concern for my welfare leaves me astounded." Without waiting for a reply to his sarcastic comment, Cedric jogged back towards the entrance to the chamber to get himself into a good position to watch. Under normal circumstances, a guy might have been insulted at basically being told to stay out of it, but Cedric was a smart guy, he knew perfectly well that he wasn't up to handling a task of this size, especially without any prior experience in such matters. On the other hand, starvation was a very real possibility, without Fedor's ability to mimic Parseltongue, how were they supposed to get out if he were to get hurt?

"_You want to ambush him as soon as he comes out, don't you?"_ Fedor asked his older brother in resignation. Viktor sure knew how to take the fun out of things on occasion.

"_And what would you have me do, let it become fully exposed so we can dance around it for a while just so you can have more of a challenge? With other creatures we can afford to be more created, but this is not one of those times! Not with a creature of this power!"_

"_I know, I just wanted to get you worked up a bit. Lets hurry up though, for the most part, I missed breakfast thanks to that stimulating debate with Ms. Granger, and I have no intentions of missing lunch either."_

"_Ah, are you crushing on her already?" _Viktor asked with a slight smirk

"_No, but she certainly has no problem letting her true opinions be known and that is something that is very rare. Makes for much better conversation that way, even if her strange notions of the world are impractical."_

"_Okay, fine, now do you want to go high or low?"_

"_I'll go low. You have more body weight to back up that spear." _Viktor nodded in agreement before casting several charms to mask any scent he was giving off. After enlarging his spear, he took an extra piece of pipe, only about nine inches long and secured it to the shaft of his spear, about two feet above the blade. This added feature was meant to produce a far more effective attack from above. Normally when using spears in an ambush scenario such as this, the maximum amount of force you can provide is the speed of your decent added to the strength of your trust. In this case it is different. When dropping from above, you can brace your foot on this short pipe, allowing the use of your entire body weight in conjunction with the speed of your decent. Much more effective.

"_Are you ready?"_ Fedor asked once Viktor had climbed up the statue's face where he was standing atop the bridge of Slytherin's nose, about fifteen feet off the ground. Viktor merely nodded silently as he awkwardly tried to get his spear into position without losing his balance. Fedor didn't bother using the ridiculous password that he had gotten out of the Weasley girl's mind, he simply sent a stunning spell at the statue, causing the wards to react, deactivating the hibernation charms.

The grind of stone on stone echoed throughout the chamber as the mouth of the statue slowly opened revealing a dark tunnel that was easily a good seven feet in diameter. Almost immediately, Fedor heard a low hissing but it was too quiet to make out. Despite his earlier experiences, his heart was pounding in his chest and he began to sweat lightly as he waited for the creature to emerge from its nest.

_/You have the scent of the Master on you, but you are not the Master/_

"_Ah, shit." _He muttered to himself, quickly taking several steps back just before the large serpent shot out of the tunnel at an incredible speed, its eyes wide open. It didn't get far, however, before Viktor landed on its back, his foot driving his spear at least two feet through its hard scales and thick hide before jumping to the ground and taking cover. The snake reared up off the floor as a disturbing combination between a hiss and a shriek boomed around them, so loud that it actually shook the walls. Ignoring the pain in his ears for the moment, Fedor raised his wand and fired off a single spell.

A jagged ribbon of purple light shot out of his wand and quickly found its target, the roof of the beast's wide open mouth. Its cries ceased almost immediately and it flopped back to the floor with a heavy thud. Taking no chances, Viktor used one of his daggers to pry up one of the scales on the top of its head and hit it with a small blasting curse point blank.

Wasting no time, Fedor approached the Basilisk's head with his wand raised and cast a few charms before he breathed a sigh of relief.

"_The eyes are still intact!"_

"_Good, they should come in handy at some point in the future."_

"CEDRIC! YOU CAN COME OUT!"

"That didn't seem to be as difficult as I thought it would be!" The Hufflepuff commented in surprise as he rejoined the two Durmstrang students.

"Well, next time, you can be the one jumping on its back or stand right in front of it, I'm sure you will have find that more exciting."

"I'll pass, thanks."

XXX

Albus Dumbledore sat at the head table fuming. All around him, students and teachers alike, were casting nervous glances in any conceivable direction, as if anticipating some creature jumping out at them at any moment. The only exceptions were Madam Maxime, Hagrid and the members of the Durmstrang staff and student body that had been in the Great Hall before Dumbledore had locked down the school, who merely looked a bit nervous or showed no emotion at all. The details of what the Krum brothers were attempting to do spread throughout the Hall like wildfire as well as the fact that Cedric Diggory apparently went with them.

Once Allen Potter had told him where the boys were going, he ran as fast as his one hundred and fifty year old frame would allow, to reach them before it was too late. Unfortunately, he had arrived in the bathroom just in time to see the entrance to the chamber close. He tried every spell he could think of but none of them did any good, just as they did when he tried two years prior.

After all the headaches he had suffered trying to keep Allen's antics out of the public's view, the last thing he needed was the scandal of three students simply disappearing the day after the official beginning of the biggest school event of the century. Especially if one of those students was in fact Harry Potter.

His thoughts were cut off when a strange but nerve wracking and pain filled roar was heard by everyone present. There were several screams from the student body and a great many drew their wands, however those from Durmstrang seemed to relax a bit, or looked a bit disgruntled in the case of a few. After that, it was perfect silence until there was a firm knock on the doors. Once again there was several screams as the sudden noise startled many. Dumbledore flicked his wand at the doors, unlocking them, allowing whatever wayward student to enter before he locked them once again.

Many blinked in surprise when Cedric stuck his head through the door and looked around the hall before his eyes rested on Professor Snape.

"Um, Professor, Viktor and Fedor would like your help." He said calmly, choosing to ignore all the shocked stares he was getting.

"My help?" Snape asked incredulously. "For what?"

"Well, that Basilisk is certainly the biggest snake I've ever heard of, they would like another pair of experienced hands helping to harvest it. Fedor wants the eyes and Viktor already claimed the heart but they said everything else they are willing to split with you equally." Snape just sat there with eyes wide for several moments before he shot out of his chair and for the door.

"Where are they? I want to see that thing dead!" Hearing the demanding tone, Cedric looked over at Ginny Weasley who was being followed by four of her older brothers, Luna Lovegood, Hermione Granger and Neville Longbottom.

"They're outside on the grounds." The group didn't bother responding, just ran out the door, many others quickly jumped up from their seats to follow. In no time at all the mass of bodies poured out onto the grounds as Durmstrang and Beauxbatons students were coming out of the ship and carriage. Despite the sickening scene, Ginny grinned at what she saw.

The sixty five foot snake was stretched out across the grass with its head cut off. There was a strip, nearly one foot wide, down the side facing them where the scales had been scraped off, leaving only skin exposed. Fedor was walking slowly down this line with a large scathe like blade, taking wide swings and expertly splitting the skin. Hermione turned a bit green and turned away as she was reminded of films she had seen that detailed whale hunting and how they had cut them open in the exact same manner.

More coming soon


	4. Chapter 4

Vanishing Illusions

By

Trelawney's Love Toy

Chapter Four

Viktor, Fedor and Snape were well on there way to dismantling the basilisk when nearly a dozen Aurors arrived on scene. Like many of the students that had been watching, several of them began turning green and looked sick at the sight of the skinned and filleted snake. Casually glancing back as he went about the slow and careful task of removing the eyes from its severed head, Fedor recognized a few of them from his father's intelligence reports but one stuck out above the others. Auror Captain James Potter. He smirked slightly at the green hue the man's face had adopted before turning back to his work.

"What is that thing?" An Auror by the name of Tonks asked. She didn't seem as effected as her coworkers, she was merely curious. They had been told that Professor Dumbledore had called about a possible attack on the school only to arrive and see two students and a Hogwarts Professor cutting up some massive animal.

"Et ez a Basilisk!" A rather attractive French girl answered as she stood nearby, watching everything they did with rapt attention. Judging by her unnatural stunning looks, silvery blond hair and the way nearly every male present was practically drooling over her, he had no doubt that she was a Veela .

This statement sparked off an argument with the Aurors and Hogwarts and Durmstrang professors. Clearly Dumbledore and his staff were siding with the Aurors but Fedor didn't pay them any attention. He had a pretty good idea what they were arguing about and he knew that they didn't have any legal standing. After hunting many dangerous beasts he and his brother knew the law concerning them front to back and made sure to check for any differences in any country they go to.

After carefully extracting the snake's eyes and storing them away in a magically sealed air tight container, he put on his dragon hide gloves and propped open the mouth. He had just reached in with a large pair of pliers when a shout stopped him.

"STOP RIGHT THERE!" Fedor looked up to see an Auror he didn't recognize marching up to him. "That is to be confiscated."

"Excuse me?"

"He is right Mr. Krum. We cannot have basilisk venom, especially in such quantities just floating around." Dumbledore explained in his annoying all powerful and wise tone, causing Fedor, Viktor and Snape to look at the man as if he were mad.

"Professor Dumbledore, as head of your Wizengamont, you should know perfectly well that possession and sale of any part of a basilisk is perfectly legal, including its venom. My brother and I slew this beast so by law it belongs to us, to do with as we will. The Aurors have no jurisdiction in this matter. Their primary reason for this 'confiscation' is that they want its venom for themselves." Viktor spoke up as he dropped his tools and moved over to stand by his brother.

"Why would they want the venom?" Cedric's friend Amber asked in confusion. Both of the Krum brothers turned towards Snape with a look clearly asking, 'what do you teach these people?'

"Occamy venom is the primary ingredient in Veritaserum. Basilisk venom holds the exact same properties, only magnified by nearly one thousand. Diluting the venom held in this one snake would be enough for about a hundred and fifteen liters of the truth potion, saving the Ministry many millions of galleons in ingredients and brewers fees they would need to expend to produce the same amount using Occamy venom." Snape lectured to the group. Under normal circumstances he probably wouldn't have done so but if the students thought that these Aurors were trying to scam the Krum boys right after they killed the 'beast from the Chamber of Secrets' then it might do some good to have them on their side. After all, one third of that venom was his and he certainly had no plans to 'donate' it to the Ministry.

"Be that as it may, Veritaserum is a Ministry controlled substance, it would do you no good to have the ingredients for it when you cannot use it." Captain Potter spoke up firmly as he narrowed his eyes at the two boys, clearly trying to intimidate them into accepting his word as law.

"Be zat as et may," The French girl spoke up, mimicking Potter's words. "Krum's word steel stands. Et es not an illegal substance to 'ave and et es their rightful property." There was a grumble of agreement among the other students from all three schools but Fedor wasn't going to take any chances. He knew perfectly well that Potter had no problem playing outside the rules, well, neither did he but that was an entirely different matter.

Drawing his wand, he cast a series of shielding and containment spells over the snake's head before banishing it back to his cabin aboard the ship. Everyone looked at him in surprise for a moment as he stood up and looked Potter in the eye.

"There, now the problem is simply academic, isn't it? By agreement, our ship, and the Beauxbatons carriage, is sovereign territory. As it is no longer on British soil, you no longer have any legal say in what happens to that head. Now, if that is all, we still have work to do." Without waiting for a reply, Fedor went right back to work, ignoring the disappointed look of Dumbledore and the glare Captain Potter was sending him.

By mid-afternoon everything useful had been harvested and divided up between the three. Fedor had left two hours before to work on the head but had returned with a large jar of milky white liquid and a box full of teeth. Once their full prize was laid out before them, the Hogwarts students that had stayed around through the entire process looked on with dropped jaws, the negotiating had begun. None of them could remember seeing the greasy git, Professor Snape, treating anyone, much less a couple of students like equals. The three just stood around for an hour haggling and trading different parts until they were fully satisfied with what they had. Fedor even traded away one of his eyes for half of Snape's share of the basilisk hide. That particular trade had left Snape grinning like a fool, which everyone present agreed was rather frightening.

"So, Krum, I understand that your former Headmaster has experienced a bit of bad luck recently!" Snape spoke up after their transactions were complete.

"A bit of bad luck?" Viktor asked with a raised eyebrow. "Certainly Agarian gave you more information than that?" Though they didn't show it, both the younger men enjoyed Snape's reaction immensely. One of pure shock, as well as a bit of professional failure. As leader of one of the largest spy rings in Europe, he prided himself on knowing all information worth having as well as keeping secret how he got the information from those he worked for. Even Albus was at a loss for how he did it but to hear these 'children' spout the name of one of his informants so casually left him feeling a bit exposed. A feeling he did not enjoy in the slightest.

"How, how do you know about him?" He demanded harshly after quickly erecting a silencing bubble.

"You will find, Professor, that very little escapes our notice." While under normal circumstances it was best to keep your full capabilities secret, the Krums loved challenges, and the Tri-Wizard Tournament, while potentially challenging, was not enough. They needed something that would challenge them on an intellectual level well beyond that of students and matching wits with a master spy was the perfect opportunity. But to make it challenging the other party had to be aware of the situation, so revealing some information was necessary. After all, it wouldn't do well to go up against someone who was unaware of the contest.

Thankfully, Snape had a professional ethic, outside of being a professor anyway, that allowed this contest to happen. He would try to gather as much information as possible before even considering revealing anything of their true capabilities to Dumbledore and that would only happen if he found undeniable evidence that they were actively working against his own interests. It's a matter of professional courtesy, honor amongst thieves, if you will.

"As for Karkaroff," Fedor continued. "I would imagine that he annoyed the wrong people and they decided to make an example out of him. Fear has always been a valuable weapon but only fools believe that this only extends to threats of death and torture." Snape watched the two with narrowed eyes. He knew a challenge when he found one and despite his initial problems when learning about the two teens, he was filled with a new resolve. Unlike most, he wouldn't be intimidated by their tactics, primarily because they were openly encouraging him to try.

XXX

"What were you able to learn, Severus?" Dumbledore asked as the two entered his office. He had been waiting in the entrance hall upon his return to the castle and though he was concerned about the younger man's annoyed appearance, he waited until they were away from prying ears before voicing any questions. Despite the fact that it was three in the morning he would take no chances that there might be someone listening, through some charm or other means.

"Not very much. It would appear that it is common knowledge that the Krums were responsible for the attack on Karkaroff but there is not a shred of evidence that could be brought up in any court. I have no doubt that it was probably Aleksander himself that allowed this 'fact' to become known and it has done a masterful job of discouraging other 'interested parties'. Where I had received only reluctance before when asking questions, now that the nature of Igor's mental status has been made public, every loose lipped lowlife and gossiping tart is terrified to antagonize the family when it comes to private information. In the last three days Eastern Europe has had a drastic increase in the sale and study of Occlumency texts to the point where publishers are re-releasing volumes that have been out of circulation for decades. Pensieves and memory storage vials have been selling out consistently and even the self use of memory charms are on the rise. Anyone that thinks they 'might' know something they probably shouldn't is going to extreme lengths to keep it hidden."

"Were you able to get anything solid?"

"Oh, yes, I was. It would seem that after Aleksander's savvy investment binge a few years ago that made him millions, Lucius Malfoy actually invited his family over to one of their social gathering, choosing to ignore the fact that he was a 'traitor'."

"Maybe we could exploit that relationship in some way?" Albus mused as he stroked his beard.

"It's a dead end. I just came from meeting with Lucius just now. It didn't take much to subdue him and force Veritaserum down his throat as well as do an Occlumency scan. While he remembers the Krums presence at the party and some business discussions, there was also evidence that part of his memory had been wiped that night with the same charm used on Karkaroff, only for one selected memory instead of all of them."

"This is most disturbing, it would appear that we could be looking at a new threat or a possible attempt at returning Voldemort to power, despite Krum's initial reluctance during the first war. Either Krum or the Dark Lord found Lucius to be reluctant enough to remove the knowledge of the offer to join him."

"Damn it, Albus, don't jump to conclusions!" The potions master snapped in irritation. "All this proves is that _someone _fiddled with Malfoy's mind that night, not necessarily Krum, and we have no idea what the motivation could have been. The fact that Aleksander would bring his family to Malfoy Manor in itself is odd, the two despised each other and while a newfound wealth would be enough to make Lucius civil, neither a new ambition for domination nor a weakened Dark Lord could have convinced him to seek Lucius' assistance, your theory is simply ridiculous. The only reason I can fathom that he would have accepted Malfoy's invitation is that Lucius' had something he needed and he obviously got it. But right now, that is all speculation, all we know for sure is that they were at that party, nothing more. While your theory is possible, it is also just as possible that they are working against the Dark Lord, they are just going about it in a different manner."

"While that may be true, their use of fear tactics and memory charms is cause for alarm. I have a gut feeling that there are more sinister intentions behind this."

"The problem with gut feelings, Albus, is that once you have them, the only evidence that you see is that which reinforces your gut feeling. To rely on such instincts is both foolish and possibly damning. If you refuse to entertain other possibilities in this matter, I have no doubt that you will weaken our position to the point where should any _confirmed _threat emerge, it could cripple us. Goodnight!" Snape had to shake his head at the man's narrow mindedness when it came to the Krum boys. The Headmaster obviously had information he didn't want to share, but if he refused to give evidence that backed up his fears, he had no hope of convincing much of anyone. Well, no one of any importance anyway. There were certainly those that followed the Headmaster blindly like some stray dog looking for a home. The Potter's were perfect examples of this and he couldn't control sneering in disgust every time he saw them. Their blind devotion had cost them a great deal and they refused to see it.

Dumbledore sat in his office for over an hour going over everything Severus had told him, trying to find something positive but it continually eluded him. The fact that Aleksander Krum had kidnapped and raised Harry Potter as his own was proof of the man's nature. The idea that he could be anything but dark was simply preposterous. But what confused him most was their continued protection of this 'secret'. Young Harry, for he refused to think of him as anything else, had obviously known that he would discern his identity and yet they had made no effort to keep him from revealing the information to anyone so what were they hiding when they were probably prepared for the fallout when this revelation was made known?

While he tried to allow people their privacy, secrets that were kept from him annoyed him greatly. He was Albus Dumbeldore, the wisest and most powerful wizard alive, if they were truly working against Voldemort they would certainly be working with him, so they obviously had their own plans that would no doubt be detrimental to the wizarding world.

His primary concern, however, was Harry Potter. He was certainly party to Krum's plans and that was something he could not have. He had no doubt that it was Harry, not Allen, that would eventually defeat Voldemort but that would only happen if he could separate him from the Krum family. Not just physically, because he was certain he could do that when he brought the situation to the attention of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, but emotionally as well. That would be a great deal harder. But certainly he would want to at least meet his parents and siblings, every child in his position did. He would need to groom some form of emotional attachment with his true family while at the same time showing him that the Krums were not what he truly needed or wanted.

XXX

The days leading up to Halloween and the selection of the school champions were fairly routine around Hogwarts though the excitement of the student population grew with each passing day. Soon the Hogwarts staff began decorating the castle for the coming holiday and most of the students from Beauxbatons and Durmstrang had trouble keeping the sneers off their faces at the sight. Even most of the pure-blood Hogwarts students had no concept of the true meaning behind All Hallows Eve. All they knew were the silly, meaningless muggle traditions that had been celebrated since Dumbledore became Headmaster forty years ago.

While it was true that there were many ancient wizarding traditions and beliefs that had no actual basis in fact, the power behind that particular night was certainly not among them. The metaphysical barrier between life and death was at its thinnest and if you had both the knowledge and power you could literally unlock many of the secrets of the universe. Unfortunately, those that have the ability to do so are the ones that are most persecuted and misunderstood in the magical world. Necromancers.

Once, a necromancer was revered above all other wizards. Kings sought their wisdom and the weak sought their protection. Despite popular modern belief, these wizards were not evil beings bent on using the power of the dead to enforce their will. They were not grotesque creatures raising armies of inferi. In reality, they were the literal living guardians of the dead. They soothed restless spirits and aided them to the afterlife and sought out and destroyed those that would use the dead for their own ends.

Sadly, the actions of a few left a stigma that later haunted all who used such magic. While Salazar Slytherin and Octavius Grindlewald were the most well known today, there were others throughout the centuries that lost themselves in its power, and the actions of those few branded them all as evil. Today even the study of the practice is highly illegal and the actual use of the art will earn you a death sentence. Kind of ironic that Albus Dumbledore, who was once apprenticed to a master necromancer, was the one who spearheaded the move to outlaw the knowledge after he defeated Grindlewald. A part of his past that he has worked very hard to wipe out of living memory. It would not do well for the self appointed leader of the light to be associated with such 'evil'. As they disappeared, the proof of the necromancer's importance was there for all to see. Ghosts were quite prevalent in the magical world but you would be hard pressed to find one more than five or six hundred years old. The reason for this is simple. With the steady decline of wizards capable of such magic was the inevitable increase of spirits bound to this plane. With no one to aid them, they were forever denied the rest the next life brings.

Fedor shook these thoughts from his mind as he entered the Great Hall for lunch but the worry was always with him. He fully supported Viktor in his studies but knew that if it ever came out nothing would be able to help him. Viktor had both the resources and the smarts to disappear, but men like Dumbledore, who felt it was their duty to rid the world of such evil, would never stop hunting him.

Over the last week, he had gotten to know many students from both Beauxbatons and Hogwarts but like at Durmstrang, he was uncomfortable being in the presence of those his own age. Primarily because they seemed too much like children to him. When you are forced to grow up at a young age you tend to prefer the company of those older than yourself. He especially enjoyed speaking with Cedric and his friends as well as a few of the French students, such as Fleur Delacour, the girl who was so enraptured by the harvesting of the Basilisk. He had no doubt that she would be chosen as their school champion, not necessarily because of her skill but because she would not be entered once, but probably many times over by her male school mates that wish to score points with her by helping her in the selection.

Hermione Granger, who he originally found entertaining with her passionate defense of ridiculous notions, had lately become rather tiresome. She sought him out any number of times each day to discuss her ideas and ask questions. At first he thought she was intelligent but he recently reevaluated that thought. Though she did carry a lot of knowledge in that head of hers, she was completely unyielding. She refused to accept anything that went against what she previously believed. She believed that the house elves should be free but the fact that that freedom would cost them their lives did not dissuade her. She believed that the magical world should move itself in line with the muggles, but she refuses to see the problems involved or brushes them off as inconsequential. He actually thought of her as a book, really. A walking, talking book. It contains a lot of knowledge and ideas but as a book it can't really be called intelligent.

As he sat down at the Hufflepuff table once again, he glanced across the hall towards the Slytherin table and grinned maliciously when he saw Draco Malfoy quickly divert his eyes. Since he arrived at Hogwarts six days prior, he had caught the boy glaring at him numerous times, but he always tried to hide it when it was noticed and he always went out of his way to avoid both Fedor and Viktor.

"Oh, that's Draco Malfoy," Cedric spoke up when he turned to see what he was looking at. "He's a bit of a weasel, really. Like Allen Potter, he thinks he owns the school and everyone should respect and defer to him. I'm actually surprised he hasn't tried anything with you or your brother yet. He usually tries to make it known to everyone that he is the _most powerful wizard in the school_ as he says." Despite their age difference, the two of them were fast becoming friends, probably because Fedor didn't act like most boys his age, he tended to be more mature then many seventh years Cedric knew.

"Yes, I know. We've met him before, he learned his place a long time ago." Cedric was about to ask what he meant when another voice spoke up behind them.

"Ah, Fedor Krum." Fedor rolled his eyes before he turned around to see Potter and two of his stooges, Seamus Finnegan and Lavender Brown, standing a few feet away. Potter looked as arrogant as ever and the other two were looking at him with sneers on their faces, as if he were the personification of everything they hated. He was actually quite surprised that it took Potter this long to work up the courage to spread his own propaganda.

"I'm Allen Potter, current European Champion." He said as he extended his hand. The hall was pretty much silent as everyone watched on.

"And that means what to me?" Fedor asked curiously as he ignored the outstretched hand. Potter lowered his arm but his smirk stayed in place.

"I had heard some fascinating rumors and I just had to find out if they were true."

"And which rumors would that be?"

"That the reason you changed age groups last year was because you didn't want to face me, of course." The sneers on his companion's faces quickly changed to mirror Potter's own smirk as everyone else looked at Potter as if he were insane. They may not have known about Potter's actions and performance in that tournament but they knew that Krum was well beyond him. Hell, Potter had trouble when dealing with Malfoy and he had the gall to call a kid who successfully duels against adults a coward.

"Really, and who would be spreading those rumors, I wonder, you and your father perhaps?"

"WHAT?" Potter demanded angrily.

"Come now, Potter, surely you didn't think I wouldn't find out about that petition of yours? Even you can't be that simple."

"What petition ez zat?" Fleur asked as she gracefully sat down next to him. She wasn't quite sure what was going on but she had a pretty good idea that there would soon be some fireworks. Despite herself, she couldn't help but like the 'eastern barbarians'. Unlike every other male around her, they did not jump all over the place trying to get her attention or try to impress her in any way. They treated her like they would any other, which was an odd position for a veela to be in. They were an enigma to her and she found that fascinating.

"The petition Potter circulated to have my brother disqualified, of course. He and the others demanded that he be disqualified or they would refuse to fight. His father used his position on the International Dueling Committee to submit the petition when it was already too late to find replacements, so he had to fight at the adult level if he wanted to fight at all. Potter's a coward so he wanted to eliminate the competition." Viktor happily explained to the students.

"He won that tournament! He is no coward!" Lavender nearly screamed.

"Oh, he won alright, he won by default, nothing more." As he talked, Fedor looked Potter right in the eye and enjoyed how angry he was getting. "But truth be told, he never should have been there in the first place. His father disqualified England's rightful representative in the tournament, as well as the runner up, and put his son in instead. He also changed procedures that have been in place since the competition was first held to give his son a better chance. Normally, the best fighters are spread out in the first round, to weed out the weak quickly. It would do no good to have the weakest fighters fumbling around in the later rounds, it wouldn't be as entertaining.

"Instead, James Potter arranged it so that all the best were grouped together as well as all the weak. Coincidentally, Potter here was with the weak. He won his first duel on luck, nothing more. Also lucky for him, the other fighters in his bracket were so bad that they actually hurt themselves in their first duels. The winner of one blasted off his foot and the other winner tripped and fell off the stage, giving himself a concussion. Due to this, Potter got to sit out the next two rounds, going automatically into the finals.

"So, Potter goes to the finals with nearly a full day of rest after one pathetic performance, and thanks to his father, his opponent, while much better, is injured and exhausted after fighting three vicious duels against the top fighters in the competition. Pathetic, really, that even with everything in his favor, he barely made it out of that match alive. However, despite being the famous Boy-Who-Lived, the rest of the IDC was disgusted with the Potter's actions. James Potter lost his position on the committee and his son here was banned from sanctioned competition for five years." By this time, Fedor was standing up and talking in an excited tone.

"And, sweetheart," He continued while looking at Lavender. "Yes, he is a coward and he has no skills to speak of. I find it laughable how much your English press tries to hide what the rest of the world thinks of your great hero. Here in England, he is revered for something he had no control over, everywhere else, he is a joke, laughed at for the coward his is. Apparently even his own father doesn't think too much of him, considering how much effort he put in to make sure he won. Sad really." He finished in a mocking tone before turning to leave.

He had his back turned no more than two seconds when he suddenly spun around again and caught the arm raised behind him. With a quick squeeze, Potter's right arm snapped and his wand fell from his hand as he fell to the floor with a cry of pain, cradling his arm to his chest. One sharp look stopped Finnegan from interfering, his hand slowly moving away from his wand.

"It's always refreshing when someone shows their true colors. You were in a rage the entire time I was talking but it was only when I turned my back that you tried to attack. Certainly seems to be the actions of a coward to me." Crouching down, he grabbed a handful of Potter's hair and jerked his head up so that he was looking into his eyes. "If you ever raise your wand to me again, I will leave you with no hands to hold it."

"Well," He said in a jovial tone as he stood back up. "As entertaining as this has been, I think I'll skip lunch today. Cedric, Fleur, always a pleasure." He walked out of the hall, whistling happily as everyone watched him go with wide eyes before excited whispers and booming laughter broke out as Seamus pulled Potter up off the floor.

"What is going on?" Everyone turned to see Snape and many of the other professors striding into the hall. With them were several Ministry officials that were present to make sure that everything was prepared for the selection ceremony during the feast that evening. Professor Dumbledore, the last to enter, looked around in confusion until his eyes fell upon Seamus Finnegan leading an injured Allen Potter towards the door. Seeing the Headmaster, Seamus quickened his pace until he reached them.

"It was Krum, Sir. He attacked Allen." He all but shouted.

"That is a complete fabrication, Headmaster." Cho Chang jumped up from the Ravenclaw table as many other students began shouting at the young Irishman and his friend. "Potter drew his wand and was about to curse him in the back. He was just defending himself."

Under an invisibility spell, and out of sight of both Dumbledore and Moody, Fedor smirked before leaving the hall once again. Gaining the support of the Hogwarts students was much easier than he thought it would be. Potter certainly hadn't made a long list of friends in the school but he had half expected that they would rally behind one of their own none the less but that didn't appear to be the case.

XXX

"_Viktor!"_ Aleksander greeted his son as the two met on the dock. Where there was once one ship, five now stood as the other Durmstrang students, fourth year and above, and staff arrived to see their champion named. Several hundred students were making the trek up to the castle where they were met with a horde of Beauxbatons students doing the same.

"_Father!"_ The two shared a rough hug before Aleksander asked about Fedor's whereabouts. _"He is still in his cabin, trying to get his mind in order. He's convinced that one of us will be named champion and he doesn't much like it."_

"_It's just one more complication that we could have done without."_ He father grunted. _"Being stuck here for a year with Dumbledore breathing down your necks is going to be bad enough. How are things going thus far?"_

"_Better than could be expected. As it stands, if it comes down to Fedor or the Potters, it appears that the students here will support Fedor."_

"_That quickly, how did he manage that?"_

"_He broke Potter's arm!" _Viktor chuckled before explaining what had happened at lunch that afternoon. _"Though Dumbledore has kept anything embarrassing out of the papers, he can't exactly Obliviate his entire student body when it comes to Potter's attitude. The majority simply can not stand him and that would reflect on his parents as well. When Dumbledore makes his move to gain control over Fedor, I have no doubt that the students will support him. Who knows, when they learn that he is really the Boy-Who-Lived, that support may strengthen exponentially. After all, that little fact will take a lot of the wind out of Potter's sails."_

"_Good, good. Everything within the Ministry is prepared for any actions and your mother will unleash our reports a day or two before Dumbledore goes to the Aurors. She met with Rita Skeeter this morning and she is practically foaming at the mouth at the moment. With her editor now in our pocket instead of Dumbledore's, she can turn that savage quill of hers to a more worthy target than the Fudge."_

"_How much did you have to pay her?"_

"_Not a knut. The information we gave her, and the promise of an exclusive with Fedor left her in almost orgasmic bliss. She will be most useful in the months to come. If there is anything a reporter loves more than building up a hero, it's tearing them back down again. Lets get your brother and get up to this feast, your mother is waiting inside and wants to speak with you before the selection."_

XXX

Dumbledore looked out over the expanded Great Hall with a serene look on his face as he looked upon the three thousand students before him. This was what he wanted. The young wizards and witches from across Europe coming together for a little healthy competition and to forge bonds of friendship. And Hogwarts, he, was the centerpiece of the event. While technically speaking, it was now Beauxbatons turn in the rotation to host the event, it didn't take him much work to get the International Confederation of Wizards to award the rights to Hogwarts, he was the Supreme Mugwump of that body, after all.

His smile momentarily faded into a frown as he saw Viktor Krum and Harry Potter enter with Viktor's parents at their side. The two boys took their place with their schoolmates while Aleksander and Olivia Krum approached the head table. He was a bit relieved to see that the only seats that remained available were at the far end. Right next to Severus. A perfect opportunity to gather intelligence on the man.

Throughout the feast, he continued trying to find some way around Harry's mental defenses but he couldn't find a way in without alerting the boy to his presence. He had tried numerous times over the last week but met with no success. The boy's defenses were pretty good and he actively maintained them, constantly on his guard.

Fedor was silent through most of the feast as he mentally cataloged each of Dumbledore's attempts at accessing his mind. While he probably wouldn't press charges for such an offence, it would certainly serve as good blackmail material should he need it. The simple fact that the Headmaster of Hogwarts was actively using unauthorized Legillamency on underage wizards would undoubtedly cost him a great deal of support as well as call into question his suitability for holding such a position.

Once the feast was done, the food vanished and their golden plates returned to their pristine condition, Dumbledore rose to his feet with that annoying smile on his face. Fedor, and most of his classmates, tuned the man out and they turned their attention to other things while he prattled on about courage and honor until the candles with the exception of those resting inside the floating carved pumpkins suddenly went out. The Goblet of Fire that stood in front of the head table was alight with blue flame so bright it was almost painful to see.

Everyone waited with bated breath for several long moments before the flame suddenly turned red and a small piece of parchment was ejected into the air. Dumbledore grabbed it with a wrinkled hand and read the name but for his own amusement chose to let the students wait.

"The champion for Beauxbatons Academy of Magic… Miss Fleur Delacour!" Most of the male population of the hall nearly tripped over themselves trying to be the first to jump to their feet and loudly applaud as the beautiful part veela rose to her feet gracefully and approached the front of the hall where she was instructed to proceed through the door beside the staff table to the connecting chamber where the champions were to await further instructions. The females present had a much different reaction. Most of them looked at her with contempt or outright loathing. While a veela's charm brings almost blind devotion from men, it attracts the opposite from women, who are often convinced that the veela is competition for any real or imagined relationship.

"The champion for the Durmstrang Institute… Mister Fedor Krum!" No amount of Occlumency exercises could help him keep the disgruntled look off his face even if he wanted to. He had no wish to be at Hogwarts or in this tournament and he had no problem letting everyone know it. Most of the hall was cheering for him, even those enemies he had in Durmstrang. At this point it was only about Durmstrang winning the tournament and they felt that Fedor was the best chance for that to happen.

As he passed the head table to make his way to the connecting room, he snapped his head to the side and shot a very menacing glare towards Dumbledore. The gentle probing of his mind immediately disappeared as the old man turned away. Both his father, and Snape surprisingly, gave him a brief nod while his mother blew him a kiss before he passed through the door.

The room he entered was rather small with dozens of portraits covering the walls and a roaring fireplace was at the opposite end of the room. There were a few chairs scattered about but nothing that indicated that the room was in regular use. Fleur was standing in front of the fire and just gazed into the flames, obviously trying to steady her nerves. He was actually quite interested to see how the French beauty handled the tournament. He had no doubt that she had talent and her veela ancestry ensured that she could be quite aggressive when the situation called for it, but a young woman raised as a proper aristocrat was not the type you normally saw in such competitions though he knew perfectly well not to underestimate her based on her appearance and the way she was raised. He may not have wanted to enter this tournament, but now that he was selected, winning was the only option available to him. His competitive nature would demand nothing less than his full commitment.

Both Fleur and Fedor, thinking of nothing to say to each other, silently nodded to each other as they waited for the Hogwarts champion to be selected. They didn't have to wait long before Cedric walked into the room with a big smile on his face but any observant individual could tell that he was just as nervous as Fleur.

"Well, Fedor, I'd say congratulations, but you don't seem too happy to be here."

"How'd you guess?" The younger boy asked sarcastically which only caused Cedric's grin to widen. Both of his companions turned to look towards the door in confusion when Potter strolled in with a smug look on is face, leaving the door wide open, betraying the absolute silence of the Great Hall beyond. A quick mental probe and Fedor was able to find the reason for the boy's presence and he honestly couldn't believe Potter's audacity. Not only had he once again cheated to enter a competition he had no business taking part in, but he had done it in such a way that there was no possible way that he could deny his guilt. He had a hard time preventing himself from laughing out loud. If there was anything that Potter could have done within Hogwarts to show the world what kind of person he truly was without Dumbledore being able to cover it up, he just did it. Not to mention the isolation he would experience from the rest of the student body.

"What ez it? Do zey want us back en ze Hall?" Fleur asked, barely concealing her contempt for the boy. She obviously thought he had been sent to deliver a message but before anyone could speak, there was a scurry of feet and Ludo Bagman, Head of the Department of Magical Games and Sports, entered quickly.

"Extraordinary!" Absolutely extraordinary!" He muttered as he grabbed Allen's arm and led him over to the other three students. Gentlemen… lady," He added, approaching the other three. "May I introduce… incredible though it may seem… the _fourth _Tri-Wizard champion." Fedor looked completely unfazed by this announcement while Cedric was looking back and forth between Allen and Bagman as though he must have misheard what the man said. Fleur, however, tossed her hair back and smiled.

"Vairy funny joke, Meester Bagman."

"Joke?" Bagman repeated, bewildered. "No, no, not at all! Allen's name just came out of the Goblet of Fire!"

"Zair must 'ave been a mistake," She said contemptuously to Bagman. "E cannot compete, Ogwarts already has its champion!"

"Well… it is amazing," Bagman rubbed his smooth chin while smiling down at Allen. "But his name did come out of the Goblet. I mean, I don't think there can be any ducking out at this stage… its down in the rules, he's obliged… Allen will just have to do the best that he can."

The door behind them opened once again and Mr. Barty Crouch, head of the Department of International Magical Cooperation, followed by Professors Dumbledore, McGonagall, Snape, Ivanoff, and Madam Maxime, hurried inside. The buzz of fierce whispers in the Great Hall sounded through the room before the door was closed once again.

"Madam Maxime!" Fleur said at once as she marched over to her Headmistress. "Zey are saying zat zis little boy is to compete also!" Allen's face reddened in both anger and embarrassment at being referred to as a 'little boy'.

"What ez ze meaning of zis Dumbly-dorr?" The half giant headmistress demanded.

"I would rather like to know that myself, Dumbledore," Professor Ivanoff spoke up in a dangerous tone. "_Two _Hogwarts champions? I don't remember anyone telling me that they host school is allowed two champions… or have I not read the rules carefully enough?"

"'Ogwarts can't 'ave two champions, et ez most unjust."

"You are most correct, Olympe! Dumbledore, you assured us that your security measures would be sufficient to prevent such an occurrence."

"It is no one's fault but Potter's, Ivanoff!" Snape said softly, his eyes glittering with malice. "Don't go blaming Dumbledore for Potter's determination to break rules. He has been crossing lines ever since he arrived here…"

"Yes, thank you, Severus," Dumbledore cut the potions master off.

"Mr. Crouch, Mr. Bagman, you are our… err… objective judges. Surely you would agree that this is most irregular?"

"We must follow the rules, and the rules state quite clearly that those people whose names come out of the Goblet are bound by magic to compete."

"Well, Barty knows the rules front to back," Bagman said beaming, turning back to Ivanoff and Maxime as if the matter were now closed.

"I insist upon resubmitting the names of the rest of my students, as well as those from Beauxbatons. We will continue adding names until all three schools have two champions. Its only fair, Dumbledore."

"But it doesn't work that way, Ivanoff." Bagman disagreed. "The Goblet of Fire has gone out. It will not reignite until the beginning of the next tournament…"

"Of which Durmstrang will most certainly not participate!" Ivanoff exploded. "After all the negotiations and compromises we did not expect something of this nature to occur. I'm of half a mind to leave now."

"Empty threat, Ivanoff." Moody growled as he stumped his way into the room. "You can't leave your champion now. He must compete. This selection is magically binding, remember."

"Alright that's enough!" Fedor snapped angrily. He was really getting tired of all the yelling. Everyone turned to look at him curiously, some in anger at being spoken to in such a way by a child. "Cedric Diggory is Hogwarts champion. Potter is nothing but a pretender. Durmstrang needs no other Champion! Beauxbatons needs no other champion! Let the little boy compete, let him show the world just how inept he truly is." Without another word, he walked out of the room all the while mentally laughing at how stupid the boy was.

**AN:** As many of you undoubtedly noticed, this last scene bore strikingly similar to chapter seventeen in _Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire._ Obviously, that is exactly where I got. I just changed it around a bit so that it matched up with this storyline. There may be a few other times where I will do the same thing but it won't be very often or for large scenes and I'll let you know when I do.


	5. Chapter 5

**An: **This chapter will be very dialog heavy, consisting of several meetings. If you don't like to pay attention to that much talking, well, shit happens.

Vanishing Illusions

By

Trelawney's Love Toy

Chapter Five

"WE HAD A DEAL!" James Potter shouted in anger as Albus Dumbledore looked on. The Headmaster looked as calm and collected as always but the way his hand was tightened around this morning's copy of _The Daily Prophet _was a testament to his true feelings. It had been three days now since the selection ceremony and even though there had been four champions instead of one, the public had been very supportive, believing that with the _Boy-Who-Lived _representing England, they couldn't lose. However, that opinion would take a drastic turn rather quickly and both men knew it.

"Yes, we had a deal," Alan Cummings, editor of the _Prophet _agreed with a sneer. "But your idiot boy made any arrangements between us moot. Not only did he enter that tournament in an underhanded fashion but he also makes no secret of how he did it. This is not something you can cover up. I've had enough problems keeping the rest of the European public opinion quiet and I refuse to do it anymore. We are already a laughing stock around the world and my only concern at this time is rebuilding our reputation. If you want favorable press, I suggest you rein your boy in and teach him some control. That is all, now get out of my office!" The wards surrounding the building, cast primarily to protect the publications staff from those they may have slandered, reacted to the order immediately and literally forced the two men out of the building. Potter left immediately. Dumbledore on the other hand fought the magic for a few moments before deciding that it was not worth the magical energy he would expend and turned to leave at a more sedate pace.

"James, I would like to meet with Lily and yourself in my office after the weighing of the wands this afternoon. We may very well be able to shift the focus of both the reporters and their readers alike." Potter stopped walking and looked at the man sharply. He had known and worked with Dumbledore for a long time now and over the years he had picked up a few details that helped him figure out what the man was thinking. One of those things was his tone of voice. While it almost always remained calm and even, there were times when there would be a very subtle difference.

In this case, it seemed to be his '_I know better than everyone else tone'. _Usually, this means that he thought he had the perfect plan. One that could not fail. And while most of them did work to perfection, James knew full well that some had failed miserably, and cost no small number of people their lives. Knowing that he wouldn't be able to talk his mentor out of anything he planned, no one could once he made up his mind, no matter crazy it sounded, he resolved himself to just be on hand incase anything went wrong.

XXX

The reaction of the Hogwarts population was exactly as Fedor had expected. The vast majority of the students, even most of the Gryffindors, were outraged at Potter's actions. Surprisingly, it was the normally reserved Hufflepuffs that showed their anger the most. Historically speaking, they usually don't stand out very much, rarely winning either the Quiditch Cup or the House Cup for the year so they took it very personally when the legitimate Hogwarts champion, a member of their own house, was forced to share the honor with a cheater.

In the days that followed, Allan was subjected to something that was completely new to him. Ridicule! And quite frankly, he didn't know how to handle it. There had always been students that hadn't liked him but normally they just ignored him, except Malfoy. But the open hostility being directed at him from members of the other houses, even his own, was not a welcoming experience. He comforted himself with the fact that once they saw his performance in the first task the whole of Hogwarts would undoubtedly be behind him. For the most part, Fedor did very little to stir up trouble when it came to Potter but if someone asked, he did not hesitate to give his opinion.

The morning following the selection ceremony, Cedric informed him of the instructions the champions had been given for the first task after he had left the room, which was severely lacking in detail. All they were told was that they were to face the first challenge on November twenty fourth, armed only with their wands and that they were forbidden from asking for or accepting help from their professors. Mr. Crouch explained that the lack of information was because this task was to test their daring, and that courage in the face of the unknown was an important quality in a wizard.

Fedor snorted quietly to himself when Cedric did his best to imitate the man's droning tone of voice. While courage in the face of the unknown was indeed important, only a fool would face the unknown when there were other, more reasonable, options available to you. While some may call it cheating, he preferred to think of it as preparation. After all, all they were told was that they couldn't seek a professor's help, they never said anything about any other source.

XXX

Victor and Fedor were just finishing up their afternoon workout when they were approached by the Hogwarts Care of Magical Creatures professor, Rubeus Hagrid. They weren't particularly sure what the man wanted but whatever it was would be a welcome change from all the fan girls that were standing around staring at them as if they were pieces of meat while they giggled to their friends.

"What can we do for you, Professor?" Victor asked in a level tone.

"No need fer such titles wit me, just call me Hagrid. As fer why I'm 'ere, Professor Dumbledore sent me to collect yer brother."

"What's it for?" A blind man could see the suspicion in Fedor's narrowed eyes but Hagrid just passed it off as school rivalry over the tournament.

"Not quite sure, really. They're sendin fer the other three as well so I imagine it has sumpten to do wit the tournament." Fedor nodded before heading back to the boat to get cleaned up. Despite the sore muscles, he always felt better after a good workout and a hot shower. After putting on some clean robes he met Hagrid and the two made their way up to the castle.

"So I hear you and yer brother are quite taken with different creatures?" Fedor remained silent for a moment before deciding that a conversation of this kind couldn't hurt any.

"Don't have much interest in the smaller or friendlier animals, prefer something that would split you open if you look at them wrong. Dragons and griffins for example."

"Beautiful creatures. Tis a bloom'in shame there ain't much written about 'em. People are just too scared to get near im. Even them that work on the dragon preserves don't know much more then the rest of us."

"True, though I do find it sort of ironic that muggles were writing about various magical creatures somewhere around a thousand years before wizards."

"What, what are you talking about, muggles?"

"Of course. This was long before the magical world began hiding itself. But take the Ancient Greeks for example. They were telling stories of Manticores, hydras, and unicorns for centuries before actually putting them down in writing. That culture has a great many 'myths' and 'legends' but my favorite has to be the one about Prometheus."

"Who's that?" Fedor looked over at Hagrid and shook his head in disgust. What the hell were they teaching at this school?

"According to Greek myth, Prometheus was an immortal that defied the gods' wishes and showed humans how to create fire. As punishment for his actions, he was chained to the side of a mountain where his liver was torn out from his abdomen and eaten by an eagle every day. Due to his immortality, he would never die and his body was healed by the time the eagle returned the following day. A large number of griffins, described as the _'sharp beaked hounds of Zeus' _were used to patrol the area to ensure that no one could rescue him. They don't talk much about the griffins but it shows you how much they respect its power.

"Most of the older tales such as that have more story than fact but at least its there. It proves for interesting reading while most of the books written by wizards on the subject over the last few centuries have been excessively boring and often carries little more actual evidence. As you said, people are afraid to get near them, and as a result, even some of the so called experts would rather make something up than actually do the research and field work themselves."

"Ey', I've got a book in me house that proves that very thought. It's about dragons, you know. The crazy bugger had the nerve to claim that the magnificent creatures would guard their nests ferociously but would often eat their own young shortly after they hatch if food was scarce. It's an outrage that publishers are allowed to get away with printing such blatant lies." Fedor felt that this was one subject he should just keep his mouth shut on. And so he decided that he would simply ignore their present topic of conversation and not tell the man that he had seen a dragon do exactly that with his own two eyes just a few short months ago.

It didn't take them long before they entered the Great Hall where Hagrid immediately escorted him back to the same chamber he had to wait in after being selected. Walking through the door he saw that he was the last to arrive. The other three champions were present, of course, but so were various professors from each school, Crouch, Bagman, Rita Skeeter, a photographer and a man that he recognized as Gaius Ollivander, the wand maker.

Fleur was standing off to the side where she was speaking with Cedric with a look on her face that made it clear that she would prefer to be anywhere else at the moment while she occasionally glared at Potter. Clearly she still harbored ill feelings about the boy being allowed to compete. Cedric on the other hand kept his composure and while he shared some of the French girl's feelings, he had the manners to keep them from showing.

"Ah, Fedor!" Bagman exclaimed happily as he pulled him further into the room. "Wonderful, wonderful! Now that we are all present, we can begin. Now, we will start with an examination of your wands, to ensure that they are in proper working order. Afterwards there will be a brief photo shoot and I'm sure that Ms. Skeeter here will have plenty of questions for you." No one really paid the reporter any attention with the exception of Potter who seemed he couldn't wait to get to her. Judging by the look on Dumbledore's face, he had no intention of letting the two near each other without supervision.

Ollivander proceeded to examine the champion's wands, taking greet care and enthusiasm with Cedric's, one of his own creations, but almost blowing off Fleur's for the simple fact that it was not one of his and was made with different materials than he would have used. With Potter's he was once again all smiles but the boy seemed to take great offence to his wand being described as 'swishy' and great for charms work. A quick probe of the boy's mind showed that he viewed his wand as the ultimate 'battle wand'. He was the 'great hero' after all, he deserved nothing less. Apparently he was not aware that battle wands were custom made for their owners, which was a service that the old man did not provide. He created wands in bulk and simply supplied his customers with the best possible match.

"Now, Mr. Krum, if you please." Fedor just looked at the man for a brief moment before raising his hands and with a flick of his wrists his wands shot out of his sleeves where he expertly grabbed them by the handles.

"TWO WANDS? HE CAN'T HAVE TWO WANDS!" Potter nearly shouted before snapping his mouth shut under Fedor's glare. He wasn't the most observant person in the world but even he could see that those eyes held a promise of extreme pain.

"There is no law or rule in this competition that limits the number of wands one may use."

"Even so, Mr. Krum, you can use only one at a time as it is, so perhaps it is best if one were to remain in the custody of one of your professors for the duration." He looked at Dumbledore with an emotionless expression before raising both wands and silently firing a stunning spell from each at the same time. The spells splashed harmlessly off the walls but his point was made perfectly clear. Dumbledore and Ollivander were the only two that didn't let their surprise show, other than Professors Ivanoff and Emelianenko, of course. They had seen him do such things before. Dual casting was an extremely difficult thing to achieve, some magical experts claim it is much like being and animagus, you simply have to be born with the ability to use it to any real advantage. Dumbledore himself could only use very basic spells in such a fashion and the stunning spell was well above his capability.

"How did you do that?" Cedric asked after a few moments of silence.

"I don't know exactly, I just do it."

"No, I meant how are you able to do the wand movements so easily with both hands? You've been favoring you right hand since you got here and you've always dueled right handed."

"I trained myself to be ambidextrous. I used a paralysis curse on my right arm for nearly five months until I could use my left just as easily. After that it didn't take long to get my right arm back into shape." He answered his friend before turning back to Dumbledore. "As you can see, I am perfectly capable of using both, so I will not be parted from either. As there is no rule preventing it, I intend to have them both with me at all times should a situation arise where they are both needed." Dumbeldore was not a man that enjoyed being denied by anyone, much less a child. He was about to speak up again when Professor Ivanoff cut him off.

"I find it interesting that you do not bat an eyelash at your 'golden boy' entering this tournament when Hogwarts' champion had already been chosen, yet you wish to deprive another of his wand. Mr. Crouch, is Fedor correct in saying that there is no rule against having multiple wands in this tournament?"

"Yes, he is. The rules simply state that the contestants are allowed only their wands at the beginning of each task. It makes no mention of any restrictions on the number." The Ministry representative answered immediately, showing everyone present that he knew the rules front to back and probably knew every loophole in the wording.

"Now that that's settled, let's get on with it." Ollivander nodded his head and reached for Fedor's wands when he suddenly pulled them back.

"Look, but do not touch!" He told the old man firmly.

"Excuse me?" Fedor rolled his eyes slightly before extending one of his wands towards his as he held it by the end.

"Just bring your hand within three inches of the handle, no closer." The old man had a queer look on his face but did as was instructed but quickly jerked his hand back as numerous two inch spikes shot out from the handle. In his shock, Ollivander wondered how they could have all fit inside that slim bit of wood before he shook the thought from his mind in annoyance. It always irritated him when such ridiculous thoughts entered his head in times of stress or surprise. Magic, of course, could achieve a great many things so creating such an effect for a wand is not unthinkable, though he had never heard of such a thing before.

"This little feature, as well as the blood diamond embedded into the base of the handle ensures that only I will ever be able to use it. The diamond reads the magical signature of the user and if it doesn't match perfectly it will prevent any magical energy from entering the core."

"Curious, very curious!" He muttered to himself as he leaned forward to examine the wand as closely as he dared. "Twelve and three eighths inches of aged mahogany, perfect for wand making but unfortunately to expensive for regular use. Hmm, I don't think I recognize the signature from the core."

"Brainstem of a chimaera." The wand maker looked at him sharply. That was something he had never thought to use before but there were also several charms in place that he could not identify.

"Am I to assume that your other wand is a brother to this one?"

"A twin, yes. Identical in every way."

"And who crafted them for you? Battle wands of this quality are exceptionally rare, and expensive." He asked with a slight suspicion.

"My Mother."

"And her maiden name?"

"Valavicius!"

"Indeed!" The protections on the wand now suddenly made much more sense. "Well, given the circumstances, I have no doubt that your wands are in order."

"Excellent!" Rita Skeeter spoke up as she stepped forward and began herding the four champions off to the side with the photographer. Cedric, Fedor and Fleur didn't seem to enthusiastic about the idea, though for Fleur it was probably because she was forced to stand next to Potter for the group photo. Veela always thrived in such situations after all. Potter, of course, relished the attention. Patience had been hammered into Fedor all his life but the anticipation of seeing the glory hound crash and burn was almost overwhelming. While he would much rather be back in Durmstrang and competing in dueling competitions in his spare time, he was actually looking forward to the first task with great enthusiasm.

"What was that all about?" Dumbledore asked his old friend while the photos were being taken.

"I had never seen a Valavicius wand before and those two a magnificent."

"I am not as knowledgeable about the making of wands as you are, Gaius, what is the significance?"

"For someone who claims to love history, you truly are ignorant of it. The Valavicius family is probably the most skilled and experienced wand crafters around."

"Even more skilled than you?"

"I'm a wand maker, not a crafter. Wand crafters make their wands perfectly intoned with the wizard who commissioned it. Take your wand for example. You have been using it all your life but if you were to have a wand crafted specifically for you it would make yours seem like you were using someone else's. The quality of work you get out of it is that much higher.

"The Valavicius' have been in the business longer than even my own family and have crafted wands for some of the greatest wizards and witches of all time, including Le Fey, Gryffindor and Slytherin. It's even been rumored for centuries that they created Merlin's staff for him. Unfortunately each of their wands is tied to the user with blood magic. When the user dies the wand is destroyed so we have no examples to see exactly what they do and how they do it. They stopped taking orders decades ago but at least their still teaching their children the art."

"Hmm, perhaps I should look into that if the difference is as great as you say." The Headmaster mused as he looked over his wand as if it had somehow become defective in the last thirty seconds.

"Don't even bother, Albus. You have been using that wand so long that your magic is almost dependant on it. If you were to switch now, for whatever reason, you would not get very good results, even if it were crafted specifically for you."

The photo shoot was an almost painful experience. Skeeter and her photographer, Bozo, insisted on multiple poses with many different combinations. First were several group shots, then each champion posing with each of the others and finally several individual shots with each. By the time they were finally finished, just about everyone was in a rather foul mood. With each successive flash even Potter was beginning to get annoyed.

Almost immediately after the final flash nearly blinded Cedric, Skeeter pulled Potter off to the side and the quill she had floating along beside her was scribbling away rapidly. Dumbledore, who was busy speaking with Ollivander, didn't notice until several minutes later and he moved quickly to intercept them.

"That was the most painful hour of my life." Fedor muttered to himself as he stepped outside for some fresh air.

"Mr. Krum." Cringing slightly at the thought of having to deal with that reporter again, he turned around to find Professor McGonagall standing there with a strict look on her face. Something about her demeanor told him that this woman seriously needed to have a few drinks and get laid. "Professor Dumbledore would like to see you in his office."

Fedor really thought about voicing his previous thought but decided against it. For all he had learned over the years, he didn't really feel like spending the rest of the day dodging castration hexes. So he just nodded in reply and followed the sexually deprived woman back inside. He had been expecting this meeting for a few days now and although he had every right to ignore the request, or demand one of his own professors be present, he felt he could deal with it on his own.

XXX

"Albus what is this all about? I don't like surprises!" Captain Potter asked when his former Headmaster walked through the door to his office where he and his wife had been waiting.

"All will be explained in due time. I am expecting a meeting that I would like you to observe. I know that you have a great many questions but I must ask that you hold them until after, I assure you that they will all be answered." 'Feeling' the gargoyle at the base of the stairs jump aside, Dumbledore quickly ushered the two confused parents into his private chambers before sealing the door from the outside, ensuring that they could not open it, and casting several other charms on it before taking his seat behind his desk.

"What in Merlin's name is going on?" James exclaimed as he began pacing around in agitation.

"Who is that?" Lily asked as she looked through the now transparent door at the young man in blood red robes that had just walked into the office, gaining her husband's attention.

"That's Fedor Krum." He grunted in reply. "What could Albus have to say to him that would be of any interest to us?"

Fedor looked around the office with little interest. The only things that really caught his attention were the bookshelf off to his left and the phoenix perched next to the window on his right. He mentally snorted in disgust at the very sight of the bird. While phoenixes were magnificent creatures, a bonded phoenix was even less so. When a phoenix, or any magical creature, bonds with a human, the creature's and the human's personalities begin to change, becoming more intoned with each other until they become almost unrecognizable from who the were previously.

This was no longer a phoenix, it was merely an avian version of Dumbledore. A wild phoenix was the ultimate light creature, if they were present when an innocent was being harmed, they would intervene, possibly even killing the perpetrator. However, this one was not wild. He could pull ten of Hogwarts first year students up into this office and slit their throats one by one and it wouldn't react at all unless Dumbledore saw reason to do so. While it looked as beautiful as any other, it was merely a shadow of its former self.

"Ah, Harry. Please take a seat." He offered with that ridiculous benign smile on his face, as if he were the ultimate grandfather. He was met with a glare in return.

"Unless you want me to simply walk back out that door, I would advise against even uttering that name again." Fedor snapped before he sat down and looked at the man with a cool expression on his face. Dumbledore seemed to take no notice of his tone but decided that it would probably be best to follow the boy's wishes for the time being.

"That is quite an interesting glamour charm you have, I would ask that you remove it for the duration of this meeting, I prefer to see things for what they truly are." Fedor looked at the old man with a slightly raised eyebrow for a moment before coming to the conclusion that it couldn't hurt any. Even if someone else were present to see, it would matter little, there plans were already in place, the only question now was the timing.

With a nod, he reached into his robes and pulled out a crystal necklace. Once it came up over his head, his disguise vanished and an almost identical of Allen Potter was sitting in his place. Only he had longer hair, looked colder and much more serious. Dumbledore smiled softly at him as if he viewed this as Fedor's first step towards accepting who he truly was. In the next room, James and Lily Potter were staring through the door at the young man with wide eyes and open mouths. The only thing going through either of their minds was the word 'impossible'.

"I assume that you have been using that pendant for quite some time. Though it is obviously powerful if it could go undetected by Professor Moody, it would be quite dangerous if you were in a position where someone could remove it."

"It is sealed with blood magic. Like my wands, the only person other than myself that could touch it is the person who created it, my mother. If anyone else were to try they would feel pain on nearly the same level as the Cruciatus curse. Now, what was it you wanted to see me about?"

"I'm sure you can understand my curiosity about your situation. My primary concern is how you came to be in the custody of Aleksander Krum." Fedor pretended to think about whether or not he should tell the truth for a minute or two before nodding slowly and giving him the version they had agreed upon.

"As I'm sure Snape has told you, my father left Voldemort just before he vanished. A few hours later he, and every other Death Eater, felt a drastic change in their Dark Marks. Despite the fact that he would probably be attacked on sight as a traitor, he apperated back to Voldemort's Headquarters to find out what had happened. There was no one else present except for Amycus Carrow who had me in his arms. He was ranting and raving and stating quite firmly that he was going to take his vengeance out on me. Being distracted as he was, it didn't take my father long to subdue him.

"Amycus, and his sister Alecto, were notorious, even among the other Death Eaters for their appetites. They routinely slaughtered whole families of muggles and took any small children to 'play' with. Nothing pleased them more than to hear a child screaming in pain. With this history in mind, he naturally assumed that my family had been killed and decided to take me with him. I was nearly six years old when he finally found out where I came from."

"That seems like a pretty convenient story. Is it not also equally as possible that Aleksander knew who you were from the beginning, or that he took you from your parents' house himself, intending to use you to his own ends?" Fedor has known what Dumbledore would do for some time know but it still enraged him to hear the old man speaking of his father in such a way. While his 'theory' was more or less true, he took great offence to the man's idea that his father was using him.

"No, that is not a possibility. Amycus more or less confirmed my father's story himself four months ago, moments before I killed him." He stated firmly as he stared into the other man's eyes without blinking.

"Wh… What!" Dumbledore shouted in shock causing Fedor to sneer at him.

"My father is considered a traitor to the other Death Eaters, and over the years a few of the more fanatical of them have tried to kill him for it. Don't give me that judgmental look, Headmaster. You have killed a number of people yourself throughout your life."

"Well, if he knew who your parents were, why did he not return you to your home?" The old man asked, choosing to move on.

"How would you tell a six year old that they would have to leave the only family that they'd ever known? I had no wish to leave and after doing a little research, my father felt that I would have the best chance at the life I wanted with them. While I'm sure the Potters love their son, they did not raise him, they ruined him. By catering to his every whim they've probably destroyed any chance he might have had at respective social and professional life. I'm sure most your own student population would agree."

"Allen is very well respected in this country."

"Yes, and how much has that cost you, by the way? How much did you and the Potters pay over the years to keep your Golden Boy's true nature out of public knowledge. Sixty eight thousand galleons, was it not? And that was just to _The Daily Prophet. _I'm sure Captain Potter's position in the Ministry, as well as your own, have been quite useful in burying all those complaints against the boy for harassment and assault. I'm not completely sure how you run your educational system in this country but I imagine that your Board of Governors would have a great many things to say to you if they learned of the excess bullying you have allowed to continue without punishment. But considering all complaints to the Board must be sent through you, I guess that makes it kind of easy, doesn't it? You certainly can't go expelling him, can you? If he is to defeat Riddle he must learn something, after all." Dumbledore, who was growing increasingly angry suddenly looked like a fish out of water.

"Yes, we know about your precious little prophecy. The Dark Mark still has its power so every Death Eater knows that Riddle is not truly gone. Since he bounced a killing curse off my head, thus robbing him of his body, he will certainly try to kill me at some point so it became necessary to find out why he came after me in the first place."

"Malfoy!" Dumbledore spoke up with dawning comprehension. Now it was Fedor's turn to look surprised. It took a few moments but the answer soon came to him and he couldn't help but grin slightly.

"Ah, so Snape found the memory charm. I must admit that the man is better than I thought him to be, but yes, that is where we found out about the prophecy. After that is was ridiculously easy to break into your Department of Mysteries and watch the recording. Riddle will come after me eventually, and I have no intention of becoming just another one of his victims. And that is precisely why you are so interested in me. Potter would be no match for even the simplest of Death Eaters so you know perfectly well that he wouldn't stand a chance against Riddle. You have been trying to train him for years but he has no interest in the hard work required to truly excel and if one of his instructors actually pushes him to work harder, his mother swoops down and forbids them from coming near her 'precious little boy' again. Pathetic really. I, however, am everything you want him to be. I want to get better and I thrive on the work it demands."

"And how am I to know that you do not intend to use those skills for dark purposes? Aleksander is a Death Eater, after all, and by your own admission, you killed another human being recently and you seem to have no remorse over the fact. If your family truly opposes Voldemort…"

"Come now, Headmaster, surely you can dispense with the ridiculous anagrams and call him by his true name."

"As I was saying," Dumbledore continued again with narrowed eyes. This meeting was not going at all as he had planned. "If you oppose Tom Riddle, why have I not heard of it before? I do have a great deal of knowledge and recourses that would be invaluable to anyone with such goals."

"You see, that is your problem. You, like Riddle, see the world, or at least Europe, divided into three kinds of people. There's you and your Order of the Phoenix, Riddle and his Death Eaters and the rest are sheep who are too scared to take any action that may draw unwanted attention to themselves. Any strong willed person that does not support you directly must be working for 'dark purposes', as you say. The reason we have not come to you is because you have proven that you can not be trusted. For example, when I first entered, I noticed your bookshelf over there." He waved off to the side and the old man was seriously confused as to where this was going.

"Every book on that shelf is dedicated to the most powerful of light magic and nothing else, and that's a pretty big shelf. That tells me only one thing. You are a man that is trying _very_ hard to present a certain image, you want nothing visible that could possible bring your allegiances into question. Now, if I were just another one of the sheep in this world, that image may have worked but I know a great deal more about you then they do.

"A number of years ago my mother found an old journal in junk shop in Dresden. Normally she would over look something like this but it was the many powerful protection spells on it that caught her attention. Spells that made the writing illegible and such. As I said, it was old, about one hundred and seventy years old, bound in dark brown leather with the silhouette of a bear burned into the front cover." As soon as the word bear was said a gasp sounded through the room and it took all of Fedor's willpower to keep from laughing at the panicked look on the old man's face.

"Good, I'm glad you remember it. Of course it took us quite a while to get through all the protections but what we found was amazing. As you know it was the journal of the last confirmed Master Necromancer. It didn't go much into the magic itself but focused almost solely on his personal life. He seemed to be an alright guy until his trusted apprentice betrayed him to the authorities. It wasn't until thirty years later that the next entry was made. Years that he apparently spent in prison. That time obviously changed the man. Advancing age, prison, and the betrayal of his confidant took a severe toll on his mind and he slowly allowed the power of his particular art to consume him.

"I truly wonder what the world's reaction would be if they were to learn that it was your betrayal that made Grindlewald the monster that he became. Though I do find it interesting that we could find no records of your association with him. We know of your time at Hogwarts and shortly after but the periods in which Grindlewald indicated that he was your teacher, you suddenly seem to vanish from public record, only to reemerge years later to lead the fight to have Necromancy banned entirely. Claiming it was a dark and evil art that had to be eradicated. You, of course, knew this was not the case but you saw an opportunity to push yourself into the public eye as a leader and you took it. You must have worked awfully hard to wipe out all knowledge of your studies."

"Necromancy is a dark art, Mr. Krum." Dumbledore stated firmly as all you needed was his word to believe it. "Tom Riddle himself was working…"

"Don't take me for a fool, Dumbledore!" Fedor shouted with just as much conviction. "To control true necromancy you must have a respect for the forces of life and death. Riddle has no respect for any life but his own and he fears death above all else. Both of those facts would prevent him form advancing in such studies. Unlike many other braches of magic, morality is demanded of a Necromancer by the magic itself. It is only after achieving the rank of Master that some are tainted by it, and that is a very small percentage." Without warning, Dumbledore jumped to his feet with his wand drawn and almost before Fedor could blink, a memory charm was sailing his way but he made no attempt to block or dodge it.

"That was a very stupid thing to do!" Fedor stated coldly, showing no effects from the spell what so ever. "Do you know what this is?" He asked as he pulled a small device out of his right ear. With her experience in the muggle world, Lily Potter naturally came to the conclusion that it was a small hearing aid but judging by the nature of the question she doubted that it had anything to do with his hearing. "This little beauty records my thought patterns, senses of sight and sound and transmits them to a specially crafted pensieve. It will record sixty eight minutes at any one time. This one," He continued as he pulled a similar device out of his left ear. "This one retrieves the stored information from the pensieve should I ever need it. When used together, they create a feedback loop that makes memory charms impossible.

"As you just witnessed, your spell hit me but had no effect because one mere second later my pensieve sent the erased information back to me. Now, sooner or later someone will find out the truth about my background but given the fact that I have this memory to call upon as well as Grindlewald's diary I fully expect you to stay out of any legal proceedings that will undoubtedly follow. The Potters will certainly want me under their control if for no other reason than it is what you wish. Your Ministry will want the same. Fudge will try to have me declared a ward of the Ministry so that he could place me with a family of his choosing.

"Make no mistake about it, we came fully prepared for just about every eventuality. Now, was there anything else you wished to discuss?"

"Yes, as a matter of fact there is. I have seen you training on several occasions since you arrived and I was wondering if you would not mind if your brother were to join you?"

"That boy is not my brother. The only bond we share is that we have the same blood running through our veins. Victor is my brother in every way that matters."

"Very well," Dumbledore sighed in defeat though anyone with half a brain could tell he had no intention of giving up. "You pointed out yourself, Tom Riddle will surely be after you when the times comes, but Allen would be targeted as well. The selection ceremony a few days ago is a perfect example. He over heard Professors Moody and McGonagall discussing different ways to fool the Goblet while they were in the teacher's lounge the night before. Unfortunately neither of them remembers having that conversation and were indeed no where near the lounge at that precise time."

"So, basically, you're worried that someone gave him this information in the hopes that he would be seriously injured or even killed in the tournament?" Dumbledore did nothing but nod his head silently as he waited for an answer. Unlike everything else he had been asked thus far, he really had to think about this. Dumbledore was clearly pushing for him to work with the boy in the hopes of creating some bond between them and although that would certainly never happen, in the end, the decision was not a hard one. This could actually work out to their advantage if they were to teach the boy a valuable lesson in humility. If he kept going the way he was, he had no doubt that Potter's arrogance would wind up getting someone killed and Fedor had no intention of being that someone.

"Alright, but on one condition! Victor and myself are in charge and while you are welcome to observe if you like, no one interferes, not you and not the boy's parents, unless there is a clear danger to his life. If you want him to survive you have to stop coddling him and force him to work. He will be ours from six a.m. tomorrow morning until noon. At that time we will decide if he is worth the continued use of our time. Is that acceptable to you? Of course I will need your oath on that."

"I am not in a position to demand James and Lily's compliance in this matter."

"You know as well as I that as the Headmaster of this school, while here, your students are in your custody and unless they intend to remove their child from Hogwarts, your authority supersedes their own. The Potters have no power here unless you allow it." The Hogwarts Headmaster made a bit of a show of thinking it over as he watched the young made with a scrutinizing expression. He wasn't fooling anyone, Fedor and the eavesdropping Potters knew perfectly well that he would accept. After a minute of absolute silence, Dumbledore drew his wand once more and gave his oath.

"Very well, I'll expect to see Potter out on the school grounds at exactly six o'clock tomorrow. Inform him that if he is late, the consequences will be severe." Without another word, Fedor stood up and walked through the door leaving a very thoughtful old man behind. It took him a while to get all his thoughts in order but he eventually lifted the wards on his chamber door and readied himself for whatever confrontation was to come. With luck it will be only verbal, regarding young Mr. Krum. At worst he could lose the support of the Potter family if they held him responsible for Grindlewald, as he was sure a great many people would should that information get out, especially those old enough to remember the terror he caused during the two world wars. Unfortunately they, without doubt, witnessed him attempting a memory charm on the boy and so they may be prepared for that themselves and either one alone is a formidable opponent but together he was unsure if he would be able to overpower them safely. He was not as young as he once was, after all.

"Was that true?" James demanded as he stormed through the door, his wife entered the office at a more sedate pace, her face chalk white. They had both been trying to get the door open throughout the entire meeting, their emotions cycling through shock, anger and confusion. While they both wanted answers concerning Grindlewald, they felt it best not to bring the situation up at the present time. After all, they had just watched their mentor attempt to _Obliviate _a fourteen year old boy over it and they didn't have the advantage that he had. Instead they chose to stick with the most important issue at hand.

"Which part?"

"Was that really Harry?"

"Yes, it was." Dumbeldore answered with a sigh.

"It could be a deception, Albus. He could have used polyjuice or some sort of charm or…"

"No, he couldn't." Albus cut the confused mother off. "After he removed that amulet I could sense no other forms of disguise and you can't alter the image created by polyjuice. He wouldn't have been able to make his hair grow longer and he could certainly not have applied that scar."

"Oh, for Merlin's sake. Muggle makeup could have created that scar, it wouldn't have been that difficult."

"James, you don't understand. That is no ordinary scar. You are of course aware of the magical residue that is temporarily left behind when a killing curse comes to close to you."

"Yes, Allen had it for a few days after You-Know-Who attacked."

"Well the magic in that scar is exactly that same, only much more powerful and its power has not diminished in the slightest since he has been here. The only conclusion that I have come up with is that on the night Voldemort attacked your home, Allen did not block or deflect the killing curse as we had originally thought, but it in fact actually _hit _Harry. The Krums and the Bulgarian Ministry, I'm sure, will put up quite a fight, but for now we must find a way to get Harry back into your custody. He mentioned that a number of attempts had already been made on Aleksander's life, Harry must be protected far better than one family can achieve."

"Yes, and he needs a serious attitude adjustment." James nearly growled causing Dumbledore to raise his eyebrows in disbelief.

"James, you are looking at his actions as a parent would view someone else's child. But as has been shown since his arrival, he does not behave as a normal child would. In fact he behaves a great deal like Alastor. Well, without all the excess paranoia. As for his attitude, I believe you are looking in the wrong direction. In fact we have all been rather blind."

"What are you talking about?" Lily asked in confusion.

"Do you know what the difference is between Allen and young Mr. Malfoy?" Judging by the looks they shared, they had no idea where he was going. "Absolutely nothing. They both seem to act and think the exact same way and that is something we have got to change. We have gone to great lengths to contain Allen's tendencies to an extent when we should have been teaching him control. If he doesn't learn that control he is going to wind up dead and possibly taking a great many people with him."

XXX

"Anything interesting?" Fedor asked as he entered Victor's cabin to see Victor and Anna sitting on the bed with a modified wizard's radio between them.

"Nothing much. Turns out Potter's parents were in another room listening to your conversation." It was fairly easy to place the necessary listening charms in the office without detection. Instead of using some form of small object they decided to simply place it on the window to his office since they could do it from the outside and with all the other charms in place, it would go unnoticed. Thus far it has proven incredibly useful

"Ah, I figured someone was."

"Well, they were going back and forth for a while trying to determine if you really were who you appeared to be and then Dumbledore came to the conclusion that Potter was a spoiled little shit that needed to be taken down a few pegs." Anna explained with a smirk. "Of course those were not his exact words but I suspect that was why he asked you to train him. You know, to beat some humility into him. Though I am curious as to why you didn't mention Snape in your little conversation."

"As I said, I figured someone was listening in. Don't want to play all our cards this early in the game."

The information they had on Snape was what they would use to drive a wedge between Dumbledore and the Potters if they had to. They were his strongest supporters after all. Dumbledore has told his _Order of the Phoenix _for years that Snape turned against Voldemort and became his spy. In truth, Snape was _never_ a loyal Death Eater. Dumbledore recruited him during his seventh year and primarily used him to pass on misinformation.

It was well known that a Death Eater had eavesdropped on Dumbledore's meeting with Sibyll Trelawney and heard the first part of the prophecy and later informed Riddle. In truth, no one over heard it. Dumbledore gave Snape the information and instructed him to pass it on. Being young and relatively naive at the time, he did so with question, not realizing the true significance. All he knew was that it talked about some with a _chance_ at beating the Dark Lord.

Dumbledore, however, knew differently which was why he had the Potters and the Longbottoms placed under the _Fidelius _charm. He intended to lead Riddle into a trap but he could not have known that the Secret Keeper would betray them. After Riddles defeat and the Longbottoms came out of hiding, they too were attacked, and left nearly brain dead. While he had the best of intentions and thought that he had taken every precaution, the Krums seriously doubted that the friends and family of those affected would care.

But this was a piece of information that he would sit on for now and use it only if absolutely necessary. It could destroy much of Dumbledore's support base if they were to learn how easily he could put them and their families in danger and the time may come when they need that support. It will be much more effective to use it as leverage against the old man for the time being.

Thank you everyone for all the reviews you have left so far. I've gotten one hundred and eighteen for the first four chapters and everyone of them has been positive. Thank you again and I hope that you liked this chapter.


	6. Chapter 6

This is just a short interlude before the 'meat' of chapter six, focusing solely on James Potter visiting Sirius after the conclusion of the previous chapter. I'm having a little trouble with the training session with the Krums and Potter, so I figured I'd go ahead and post this to give everyone something to read since you were all good enough to post well over 100 reviews for the last chapter alone, and to let everyone know that I have in no way forgotten about this story just because I am now working on another.

So, I hope you enjoy this, if you have any questions or suggestions, I would love to read them.

Vanishing Illusions

By

Trelawney's Love Toy

Chapter Six:

It was well after midnight before James Potter was able to get his crying wife to bed. While they were in the Headmaster's office, everything had seemed so numbing, as if they had been watching a particularly unrealistic film that pushed the boundaries of what was truly possible a bit too far. But once their minds had processed all they had seen and heard, Lily had become inconsolable. Although they had not so much as mentioned his name in several years, Lily, like him, rarely went a single day without wishing that Harry was alive. His body was never found, after all, so for the first year or two they had prayed that Dumbledore's theory was wrong and that he would be found somewhere. It was a fool's hope that they eventually gave up on.

But now, thirteen years later, that hope reappeared but certainly not in the manner that one would have wished. He had often dreamed that Harry was out there, searching for his family as he pieced together his unknown past. He imagined a tearful reunion where not much was said, they just luxuriated in the company in silence, heightened emotions seemingly robbing them of the power of speech. Harry and Allen would immediately hit it off and fall into a comfortable relationship as if they had known each other their entire lives. Thus far, those dreams had proven to be nearly unattainable.

While looking in to Professor Dumbledore's office he naturally didn't believe a word of what he had heard. Until his mind had begun working again, that is. Despite his desires, he wasn't fool enough to get his hopes up so easily but once 'Fedor' had left the office, the certainty he felt and saw from his old family friend seemed to give him all the confirmation that he needed but the full weight of the fact had yet to bare down on him. At that moment, all he really felt was annoyance and indignation at the thoughts and beliefs the boy had expressed about him and his family, not to mention the absolute lack of respect he showed towards Albus.

He knew perfectly well that they had made mistakes in raising Allen, much like his parents had made similar mistakes with him. Both of his parents were fairly old so his birth had caught them a bit by surprise considering they had believed that they couldn't have children. He grew up with just about everything handed to him without effort on his part and as a result he had grown to become quite arrogant, a phase he fortunately grew out of during the summer before his seventh year.

Allen had been raised in much the same manner, fawned over and spoiled by his parents. They had already lost Harry so they were adamant that their remaining son would never lack anything he truly desired. This unspoken decision was made without thought of how it could be detrimental to the boy when he was older, all they were concerned about was that he was given every opportunity to have the happiest childhood that they could possibly provide. The fact that he was also The-Boy-Who-Lived didn't exactly help matters as he was held in awe by their entire society all his life. Their mistakes had been apparent to them for a few years now and legitimately wanted to try to correct them but were unable to think of a way to accomplish that goal without hurting their relationship with Allen. As it stood, he had no doubt that he won't take the news of Fedor Krum's true identity with ease and the last thing they needed at this point in time is any added conflict.

While everything that Harry said had been true, or partially true depending on your point of view, hearing someone else point out those flaws in such a condescending manner filled him with anger but when he thought about whom that person truly was his anger seemed to vanish only to be replaced with depression. It had certainly been an evening of fluctuating emotions and he was positive that the following days and weeks wouldn't be any easier. After downing a few quick drinks, not caring about the late hour, James strode over to the fireplace and threw in a handful of Floo Powder before stepping into the flames.

"The Pound!" A few moments later he stepped out into the darkened sitting room at Number Twelve, Grimmauld Place. When his mother died nearly ten years ago, despite everyone's concerns, Sirius moved back into his old family home with the intention of renovating it. It was his own way of attempting to erase the past where his family was concerned. While the house looked nothing like the nearly dilapidated dark arts haven it had once been, it was still rather dark and dreary, which, James admitted with a sigh, seemed to fit his old friend in a way he never thought it would before Peter's betrayal.

A single candle burning on the other side of the room illuminated the area enough to recognize Sirius sitting on a nearby couch hunched over with his elbows on his knees. His head was down with his hair obscuring his face and a small glass of firewhiskey clutched in his hand. Despite his entrance, the other man gave no indication that he even realized that another was in the room, but James knew differently. Sirius was _always_ aware of his surroundings.

Moving across the floor, James sat down across from him and tried to think of something, anything, to say but couldn't. Sirius had always wanted to be a father but found out shortly after leaving Hogwarts that he was incapable of having children of his own. He didn't let it show, but everyone close to him knew that the news had hit him especially hard and sixteen years later it was a wound that still refused to heal. He had come to view Harry as his only chance of actually being a parent, even to a limited degree, and he took that responsibility very seriously. Harry's 'death' hit Sirius just as hard as Lily and James but while they had Allen to help temper their grief, Sirius had no one. He had close friends there to help him but for the most part he refused that help, choosing instead to isolate himself.

"Harry is alive, Sirius." Almost instantly the man's hand contracted tightly, shattering the glass in his hand but judging by the stillness of the rest of his body, he took no notice or, and more likely, he just didn't care about the large shard of glass that had just sliced open the palm of his hand.

"I… I know." Sirius responded quietly after taking several deep calming breaths. James looked at him in complete shock. How could he have possibly known? Hell, Albus had only brought it to his attention that very day and he was assured that no one else knew.

"How long have you known?" The question was rather simple, really. Sirius was an Unspeakable after all. Maybe they were keeping tabs on what was going on at Hogwarts with so many foreign visitors present. While the very thought disgusted him, he knew it wasn't outside the bounds of possibility that they could very well have the Headmaster's office monitored in some way. The answer he received, however, was not what he was expecting.

"I've known for three and half years now." James literally felt his jaw drop and his mind nearly shut down. Three? Three years? His shock and confusion quickly gave way to anger and a sense of betrayal but the look on his friend's face as he finely looked up convinced him without question that keeping this information from him was not his idea and certainly not something he wanted to do. He appeared as if he hadn't eaten, slept or even bathed in over a week and the pain in his eyes was eerily similar to those just released from Azkaban.

"What happened?"

"I was sent to Munich to investigate a possible safe house for Amycus and Alecto Carrow. I found no trace of Amycus but his sister was there, and if possible, even more insane than she had been before. I eventually subdued her and tried questioning her under Veritaserum but with her mental state, its no where near as effective as it should be. Mostly all I got was inane ramblings of just about every kind. Nothing that made much sense. But then she said that they had found 'The Potter Brat' and that 'the Dark Lord would praise them above all when they presented him and Krum's head to him'.

"As you can understand, this made absolutely no sense whatsoever. Why would they need to find Allen when everyone knew exactly where he was? Why were they looking for him in Germany? And what did Krum have to do with it? I more than understood that everything she could have said was a delusion of some sort but even that didn't make any sense. While Krum certainly didn't make any friends when he left Voldemort's service there were other 'traitors' that you would expect would be a much higher priority where revenge was concerned. Such as Snape and Karkaroff.

"That was about all I got out of her before the Veritaserum wore off. I was going to transport her back here for more questioning when Amycus and two others arrived. The other two were unknowns and not very skilled but they distracted me enough for the Carrows to escape and when they realized they couldn't get away themselves they actually killed themselves rather than be captured.

"Please, Sirius, just get to the relevant information."

"I was just getting to that. After searching for the Carrows for a few more weeks I turned my attention to Aleksander Krum to see if I could find out what was going on there and why the Death Eaters were so eager to get him. I started in the Bulgarian Ministry to get any information I could regarding him and his family. Everything seemed to be in order really with the exception of a single contradiction in the information we compiled on him shortly before Voldemort was rendered a spirit. His youngest son was about Harry's age so it made no sense that something like that would be absent from our reports at the time. I made no connection with Harry, as the Carrows obviously had but while all the documentation was in order, the fear I sensed from the Ministry workers I questioned about the issue was a bit suspicious. Later I was denied all access to files and personnel and told that if I wanted any more information I would have to speak with Krum himself. In fact, a meeting was 'requested'. It was politely worded, of course, but it was a demand nonetheless.

"So two days later I met him in his offices in Varna and was asked why I had suddenly taken such an interest in him and his family. Since what information I had didn't really amount to much and, quite frankly, didn't make much sense, I decided to simply be honest with him and told him about my encounter with Alecto. His reaction was about what I would have expected, he didn't seem too concerned about any possible danger to himself but when I told him about the 'Potter brat' his eyes changed just slightly but I didn't get much time to even process the change until he gave me an ultimatum.

"He then told me that I had a choice, I could walk out of his office with no knowledge of ever being there or coming across the Carrows, or I could give an Unbreakable Vow that everything mentioned in our meeting would not pass from me to anyone else in any way shape or form unless they were already aware of the situation. I wasn't sure if I could take Krum himself and the presence of his two guards made the situation worse. I don't take such oaths lightly, you know that, but I honestly didn't think I had any other choice and with the information I had I…"

"Calm down, Padfoot. There is no way that you could have known that he was alive much less being raised by a Death Eater." After taking a few moments to collect himself, Sirius related basically the same story that he had heard himself in Dumbledore's office just a few hours ago. James was still convinced that there was a possibility that the story could have been false but he had to admit that it did seem to fit with what Sirius was able to get out of Alecto Carrow. Unless, of course, he used the Carrows' knowledge of Harry's whereabouts to spin his tale.

Naturally, after hearing this story, Sirius demanded to see Harry and verify it for himself. He wouldn't put it past any dark wizard to parade out some look alike to disrupt things before launching some kind of attack. So it was a real surprise, shock really, when every test he ran confirmed that he was indeed the son of James and Lily Potter. Like Dumbledore, as soon as he accepted this fact, he refused to think of him, or even refer to him, as anything other than Harry Potter. Sirius has always been notoriously stubborn so it was surprising, even to him, when all it took was a single cold look from the boy to drive home the fact that he would not tolerate being called anything beyond his adopted name.

As a peace offering of sorts, the Krums allowed Sirius access to the family so that he could be sure that the boy was not being mistreated in any form and that he was not being groomed to be a Death Eater himself. Nothing was held back, neither the good nor the bad, though the worst was how both Victor and Fedor were taught self reliance and financial responsibility at a young age.

On their eighth birthdays, a vault was set up for them at the local Gringotts branch where a modest monthly allowance was deposited. They were free to do whatever they wanted with this money but apart from mere spending cash, all of the food, clothing and supplies that they used over the course of the month was also paid for out of these vaults. If, at some point during the month, all money was spent, the children went hungry. Nutritional potions were used to keep them in good health but they did little to aid with the hunger pains. It was no surprise that both boys quickly learned to be more responsible with their spending.

There were many other such lessons that while Sirius considered them to be exceedingly harsh for children, they weren't strictly illegal and he could not deny the obvious positive results that they had. While they were free to act like the children they were, both boys were capable of dealing with situations with a responsibility and maturity beyond their years.

With the training he went through as a field agent for the Department of Mysteries, Krum took advantage of the situation and offered him a part-time job as a dueling instructor. The two boys had been trained since they each reached the age of nine but after Victor and Fedor became interested in competitive dueling that training became more intense. They saw a series of sixteen dueling masters on a rotating schedule, each instructor specializing in a different style. Neither Victor nor Fedor were the most knowledgeable or experienced duelists on the circuit, but they were dominant because of the way they were trained. They had no set style, used no identifiable patterns. They were completely unpredictable.

"Well, with luck, we will have him back with us relatively soon and he can get to know his _real _family and he won't have need of such rigorous training or _harsh_ lessons." James stated firmly causing Sirius to snort.

"It will never happen, James." He responded with a sigh. "Forget for a moment that Fedor has no interest in even getting to know you, much less consider you his family, the Krums did not walk into this situation unprepared. They certainly have plans in place to deal with any legal action you may take. You and Albus will throw everything you have into getting custody and you _will_ fail. When that happens, considering what is at stake, from both your point of view and Albus', I'm certain you will try something a little more direct and probably illegal. If you do that, the Valavicius family will get involved directly and that is trouble you do not know."

"I'm not familiar with the name."

"Romulus Valavicius is the head of the family currently and grandfather to Krum's wife. He's not as powerful as Albus magically but if it came to a fight between the two, I have no doubt that he would win. For all his calm exterior, when he feels he or his family is threatened, he has a vicious streak and ruthless killer instinct that Albus could never hope to match. The family made their name and a sizable fortune as wand crafters long ago but their primary industry has always been smuggling on an enormous scale. The other European ministries leave them alone for the most part because anyone getting killed in their dealings are usually just other criminals and Romulus is their biggest asset in policing other such organizations. Anyone killing civilians is dealt with swiftly and brutally and after Krum left the Death Eaters, terrorism was treated just as harshly. The European underworld is so terrified of drawing his attention that politicians are reluctant to remove or even diminish his influence."

"So they leave him alone because he keeps other criminals in line?"

"Pretty much. Remember when we were children and Voldemort was just getting started? He and his Knights of Walpurgis were attacking and killing other groups of dark wizards all over Europe until only they remained, renaming themselves Death Eaters because of all the people they killed. Well that is what they are afraid will happen if the Valavicius family's power is eliminated. Utter chaos while others fight for dominance. The death toll in such a war could be catastrophic. Which is why you will get absolutely no help from the rest of the continent. If you try taking Fedor by force, you, your family, Dumbledore and anyone else that aided you will be crushed. After they're done, they will go back home and no government would even consider extraditing them."

"So what would you have me do? Just ignore the fact that some other family is raising my son?" James demanded hotly.

"No, what I'm suggesting is that you accept the fact that Harry Potter is dead. Fedor Krum wants absolutely nothing to do with you and that isn't going to change. I warned you against interfering in that tournament, but you ignored me. Now, instead of feeling indifferent about you as he did before, he views you only with contempt. You will save yourself a lot of time and heartache, not to mention the probable emotional and physical pain, by leaving it alone."

"That is something we can not do." James responded quietly after considering his old friend's words. "What happened to the Carrows?" He asked after several minutes of silence. Sirius took a moment to consider the question.

"Alecto was found dead in Budapest three days after I first spoke with Krum. She was hit in the chest with a reducto curse and her blood was nearly saturated with Veritaserum. Over the next few months, four other low level Death Eaters or sympathizers were found in much the same manner. After his sister's obvious interrogation and execution, Amycus disappeared completely, surfacing again only four months ago when he attacked Fedor while he was shopping. Myself, Aleksander and a few of their other instructors arrived on the scene just in time to see Amycus get hit with a cutting curse."

"Were there any other Death Eaters present?" He was by no means pleased that his son had killed another human being but unlike Dumbledore, he didn't believe that killing an enemy should only be a last resort. However, he was concerned about the executions of Alecto Carrow and her four colleagues as well as the fact that 'Harry' seemed to shrug off the confrontation with Amycus as if it didn't matter.

"Thankfully, Amycus was alone. Had there been others present I don't think we would have had any choice but to conclude that they were receiving orders from Voldemort himself. As it stands, it appears that the Carrows were acting on their own, hoping to carry favor with their master when he returns."

"Why do you sound so relieved about that? Whether Voldemort was involved or not, there is probably others out there that want him dead."

"Certainly there are! But if Voldemort was making the decisions it clearly shows how far his mind has slipped in the last thirteen years. Before, he went through a lot of trouble to stay out of Valavicius' way. The last thing he needed was a serious enemy like him. He was scared of him." Sirius explained. "I think you can agree that we're better off not knowing Voldemort's frame of mind right now than we would be if he were completely insane. And killing the great-grandson of a man like Valavicius is insane."

"Harry is **NOT **his grandson!" James shouted fiercely. The very fact that Sirius of all people would accept another raising Harry was completely preposterous and infuriating. If the stupid mutt expected him to sit by and do nothing than he completely lost touch with reality.

"The fact that Fedor isn't of their blood doesn't matter. They've accepted him just as he has them and that entire family will fight for him, kill for him if necessary, as proven with the Carrows."

"We can protect him much better than…"

"How? By exposing him? By telling every Death Eater out there who he really is? Ignoring the fact that he is perfectly capable of taking care of himself, while he is at home in Bulgaria he is constantly surrounded by people that are better trained than most of your Aurors and while he's off trotting the globe doing Merlin knows what with Victor, the only people that know where he is are the people that are with him. How much more protected can he be? I understand how you feel, truly I do, but don't come in here spouting Albus' bullshit reasoning to me. That man has always had his own agenda where Allen was concerned and now that's shifted to Fedor. He doesn't want him protected, he wants him under his control and what better to do that than to have his most trusted dog gain custody of him."

"How dare you…"

"SIT DOWN, JAMES!" Sirius shouted, his eyes burning in anger. James Potter wasn't one to be intimidated easily but this was the first time since before they graduated Hogwarts that he had seen his long time friend truly pissed off. Even when Peter had betrayed them he didn't show much emotion, he just sort of shut down.

"Ever since your father died, it seems you've become Albus' unofficial 'yes man'. You go along with everything he has to say no matter how ridiculous and on the rare occasions that you disagree with him all he has to do is give you a disappointed look and you crumble like a house of cards. Whether you want to admit it or not, Albus is your master. Just as Voldemort was Peter's. He controls every aspect of your life and you just accept it. Whenever anyone, myself, Remus or even Lily have concerns about your decisions, you just blow us off with a simple 'Albus says…'

"Well, I've told you my concerns regarding Fedor, if you choose to ignore them, that's your business. But like I said, all legal action will fail and if you're stupid enough to try anything else, don't bother coming back here, I want no part of it. If you want to get yourself killed, fine, but you're not taking me with you. You can show yourself out."


	7. Chapter 7

This chapter is _very _dialog heavy, so if that annoys you, sorry.

No, I don't think I've made Harry too powerful, he and Victor outclass most people, even many adult duelists, because they simply take it more seriously and train harder and in different techniques.

Many people have complained that someone like Dumbledore would certainly have understood the difference between 'making' a wand and 'crafting' one. Yes, Dumbledore is very intelligent and has lived 150 years and so has a lot of knowledge, but he does not know everything and the making of wands has never held any interest for him.

Vanishing Illusions

By

Trelawney's Love Toy

Chapter Seven:

As they left the ship early that morning shortly before six a.m., Victor, Fedor and Anna looked around and found a distinct lack of one Allen Potter. This absence brought rather vicious grins to each of their faces. Due to the oath he had taken, Dumbledore was required to make sure that Potter showed up and they were fairly sure he would have informed the boy of the importance of being on time, so they could only assume that he was merely taking his time to aggravate them, as if their warning was merely a formality. He will soon discover that to be a rather costly mistake on his part. Cedric, and several others, however, were there.

"What are you doing here?" Victor asked as they approached the group.

"Well I figured I would work out with you this morning, I've been slacking off a bit lately and thought this a good time to get back in the habit."

"And all of them?"

"We just want to see Potter get run ragged." A cheery faced blond answered with a smile.

"Ah, well I shall do my best to accommodate you." Fedor promised in a rather pompous tone as he gave an exaggerated bow. The fact that he was wearing a pair of shorts and a tee shirt despite the cold morning air took away from the image slightly but no one seemed to care. Victor however was looking at his brother as if he was wondering if he had hit his head recently.

"Fedor, this is Susan." Cedric introduced.

"Hello, Susan." Cedric was actually pleasantly surprised as he watched Fedor shake the girl's hand. This was the first time he had seen the younger boy actually appear to be fourteen years old. While maturity was certainly a good quality, especially in teenagers, you can't approach every situation with a serious mindset.

"Well, Cedric, you're more than welcome to join us but our workouts can become a bit extreme." Cedric nodded in understanding and was about to speak up again when Fedor's grin threatened to split his face in two and he turned to his brother.

"What time is it?" He demanded.

"6:04."

"Excellent!" The matching grins seemed to make everyone else a little nervous.

"Err, what's so special about the time?"

"I told your Headmaster to have Potter out here at precisely 6:00 and that there would be severe repercussions if he was late. Well they just walked out onto the grounds and are four minutes late." Victor quickly drew his wand and before anyone could process the sudden movement he cast a charm on himself and Fedor. Catching on, Cedric cast the same charm on himself and sighed as he felt his muscles and tendons relax, as if he spent the last ten minutes stretching. The charm was simple enough but it wasn't widely known because overuse could lead to some very serious developmental problems. Using it once in a while was safe enough but it was best to take a few minutes to do the job right. Fortunately, for them anyway, it was not a charm that was taught at Hogwarts and normally no one would even consider teaching it to anyone under sixteen years of age.

"I take it this is one of those repercussions you mentioned?" Cedric asked with a trace of amusement. He didn't normally enjoy the discomfort of others but he took two things very seriously, other than the whole Hufflepuff loyalty thing that is, and that was Quiditch and dueling. Both demanded hard work, discipline and dedication. Tardiness was not something that could simply be shrugged off.

"What charm was that?" Amber asked Cedric in confusion but got no answer as Dumbledore joined them with a very angry Allen Potter standing slightly behind him with his wand in hand.

"Good morning, everyone. I see you have a few more volunteers this morning!" Dumbledore greeted with a smile.

"No, Cedric is the only one joining us today. The others are merely here because they are curious about our training techniques."

"Well I have no need of your techniques. I do quite fine on my own." The words were barely out of his mouth before two spells hit him in quick succession. He had managed to raise his wand but he wasn't fast enough to cast a single spell. His wand was immediately ripped out of his hand and his body went ridged before falling to the ground face first, victim of a body bind.

"Now was that really necessary?" Dumbeldore tried to interject but he found that he was unable to move, the magic of his oath preventing him from coming to the boy's aid. Fedor ignored him and tossed Potter's wand to Anna as he stepped up to his 'twin' and kicked him over onto his back so that he could look into his face.

"I would say that you need whatever help you can get because clearly you do not do 'quite fine' on your own. You already had your wand in hand and yet I was able to draw mine and fire two spells at you before you could even finish one. Your movements are slow, imprecise and flourishing your wand like a feather duster may seem impressive to you but it is both ridiculous and a complete waste of valuable time. I cast two spells verbally, had I done so silently, I would have been able to finish three, maybe even four spells while you were waving your wand like a fool. You're supposed to be a dueling champion, are you not?" He finished mockingly before he released the body bind he had on Potter, allowing him to scurry back to his feet. The Hogwarts students present had a hard time hiding their amusement from their Headmaster.

"_Do you want to set the pace, or keep it?" _Victor asked with a creepy grin.

"_I'll set and let you have the fun this time."_ Fedor relied after a moment's thought before turning to Cedric and switching back to English. "Shall we, one lap around the lake?"

"WHAT? That could take hours!" Potter nearly shouted.

"Two hours, fifty eight minutes!" Victor corrected with a smirk. "At least you had better hope that is all it takes, the journey will be quite unpleasant otherwise." Incensed, Potter turned towards his Headmaster, as if expecting him to intervene, but the stupid old man wouldn't even look at him. With what he thought was a menacing growl, he was about to strip off his heavy dueling robes when Fedor spoke up.

"No, you will leave those robes on for the duration of the day."

"Now, I must object!" 'Finally', Allen thought with some animosity. "You can't expect young Mr. Potter to exert himself in such a fashion in such heavy robes."

"He chose to wear those robes to a simple workout, probably because he thought they made him look impressive. Well, now he can look impressive all day." Fedor replied without sympathy. "While dehydration will certainly become an issue, until the matter becomes life threatening, your concerns regarding the situation are neither welcome nor required."

"But it could be detrimental to his health!" Dumbledore protested strongly, glaring at the two as if expecting them to back down. The Hogwarts students present were watching on with wide eyes and open mouths. They had never seen, or even heard about, anyone speaking to the Headmaster in such a way before.

"His immediate health is not our concern, only the end result." Victor's had an obvious note of finality to it that even a hardheaded old man could pick up on. Though he was by no means happy by their lack of concern for the wellbeing of a fellow student, Dumbledore wisely kept his mouth shut. Now was not the time and this was certainly not the audience for such a debate. The last thing he needed was to have his students stand witness to a prolonged battle of wits with a pair of adolescents. It just wouldn't fit with his image.

"Now that that matter is settled, get moving!" Victor barked and Fedor began jogging at a swift pace, pulling Cedric along with him. The older boy was quite surprised at Victor's sudden mental switched from a slight annoyed and amused young man to a cold and emotionless taskmaster. It took a few moments, but he shook this off and regained control of his body's mechanics flawlessly whereas most others would probably have stumbled about with others still, no doubt, falling to the ground in a heap. Despite his momentary lapse of coordination, he easily caught back up to Fedor and the two took off down the shore of the lake at a swift pace.

"You will keep pace behind them." Allen was informed sharply. "If you speed up, I don't care, but if you begin to fall behind, well, you won't like the result. So start running." When Allen simply stood there, glaring at the older boy, Victor pulled his wand and began firing several minor, but painful curses at him. The stinging hex to his lower back was particularly effective in getting the younger man moving. Once the two were gone, Dumbledore summoned a house elf and arranged for water to be provided to the four students at different locations along their chosen course only to find that it had already been arranged. He had no doubts that Harry and the Krum boy were well prepared for such things but he wasn't so sure about young Mr. Diggory and Allen certainly wasn't. Looking around at those students gathered on the grounds, he sighed to himself before moving alongside the young lady he had seen Harry speaking to many times previous.

"Hello, my dear. And who might you be?" He asked while putting on his best 'grandfatherly' smile.

"Anna Valavicius." She answered simply without taking her eyes off of her cousins. It wasn't until this very moment that two very important facts from the day before finally caught up with Dumbledore. One; Harry's wands were made by a member of the Valavicius family. And two; his glamour charmed pendant was made by that very same person. His adopted mother. His went wide for only a moment before he schooled his features into a lighthearted expression.

"Do you not train with them?"

"My regiment is not as extreme as theirs, so I don't work out as often or for as long." Anna said simply before turning to the Hogwarts Headmaster with a raised eyebrow. "If you expect that ridiculous 'benevolent old man' routine to work on me, you're sorely mistaken. Now, will you go someplace else, the air is starting to get a bit foul?" She had to fight hard not to smile. It was always entertaining when a powerful wizard walked into a trap. And Dumbledore was _supposedly_ the most powerful wizard in the world. No one ever took 'children' as a serious threat.

"Excuse me?" Dumbledore asked in surprise forgetting all about his own students that were nearby. This was the same question a few of the closer Hogwarts students were asking themselves when they heard the girl's statement.

"You heard me correctly. Deception is your way of life so if you honestly believe that I'm going to trust you, you're more idiotic than Fedor believes."

"I have no idea what you are talking about."

"Sure you don't." She agreed in a patronizing tone. "While your actions years ago can be shrugged off by some, after all, people do grow up, your recent actions prove that you have not. While I suppose that, theoretically, all the blame could be laid at James Potter's feet, we all know that it was you that put him up to screwing over Wayne Hopkins last year." The Hufflepuff students standing off to the side were looking at their Headmaster in shock. While it was well known within their common room that Wayne was supposed to be England's representative in the competition that Potter eventually took part in, it was pretty much unknown in the rest of the school, primarily because he begged them not to make a big deal over it. Dumbledore, however, looked slightly confused. A fact that made Anna want to giggle.

"For shame, Headmaster." She mocked with a grin. "You cheated one of your own students and you can't even show him respect enough to remember his name. Of course, I understand. You wanted to get your poster boy's name and face out there, unfortunately he didn't have the skills necessary to live up to his ego."

"I had nothing to do with that tournament! International competition is something I am no longer interested in." Dumbeldore stated hotly.

"Quite a statement for a man that fought so hard to get the Tri-Wizard Tournament reinstated. Even going so far as to use every ounce of your political influence to have the competition held here when it was rightfully Beauxbatons' turn in the rotation. While I'm sure that Potter is capable of independent action, we all know that he does nothing of any importance without consulting with you first. That is the reason he is facing a demotion in the Ministry, is it not?" She asked with a wide grin.

"What do you mean?" Susan Bones asked suddenly, causing Dumbledore to nearly choke when he finally remembered that there were others present. Susan, whose aunt was Potter's boss, had met him many times and was naturally quite surprised at this girl's accusations.

"From what I understand, Amelia Bones is one of the few within your Ministry that is both competent at her job as well as devoid of corruption. She can hardly have the captain of her Aurors passing information to, and taking orders from, someone else."

"As Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot, it is my…"

"A body that has absolutely no control or influence over the Department of Magical Law Enforcement." Susan interrupted in indignation. Normally she would show every respect to her Headmaster but the fact that he was circumventing her Aunt Amelia's authority within her own department infuriated her. "Even if a situation were to arise that would require the Wizengamot's attention before a case went to trial, it is my aunt that should present it, as both Captain Potter's superior _and_ a sitting member of that same body." Susan finished with a huff before stalking back into the school. Anna watched the girl go before looking back to Dumbledore with a slight smirk on her face. With a little extra bounce in her step, she made her way back to the ship to relax for a bit before the others got back.

'That was much easier than I thought it would be.' She thought to herself. Of course, the fact that Susan Bones was present to hear her allegations helped immensely. With luck, every word she said would be spread over the school within a few hours. The Potters' reputations would be easy to destroy, Dumbledore's would be a good deal harder unless they wanted to destroy him completely which wasn't an option at this point. If he kept pushing the matter later on down the road they may not have a choice but as it presently stood, they might have use for him later on.

XXX

The feel of the cold late autumn air burning his lungs, the pounding of his heart and the screaming of his muscles as he glided along the water's edge made him feel more alive than the menial tasks of mere student ever could. While he enjoyed his studies at Durmstrang, they didn't offer near enough challenge to suit him since the Ministry's educational policies did not allow a student to simply move up to higher classes simply because they find their current syllabus insufficient. It was his 'independent' studies that made life at school bearable during the long winter months when training outside just isn't an option. Four feet of snow on the ground has a tendency to remove outdoor activities from your schedule.

Unfortunately, while winter storms here at Hogwarts are not as severe as at Durmstrang, it would no doubt inhibit his usual routine. Thankfully, the castle had plenty of long corridors and numerous staircases that would surely give him a great workout but it was not nearly as enjoyable. The idea of being stuck inside always made him feel uneasy.

Looking to his right side, he saw that Cedric was keeping pace fairly well, though he looked to be tiring a bit. They were halfway around the lake now and despite his fatigue, Fedor had no doubt that the older boy would finish at the pace they had set. He was in good shape and wasn't the type to give up on something once he started. Besides, he probably didn't want to fall back and finish behind Potter. Hearing a scream of pain and anger from behind him, he let out a loud chuckle which certainly didn't help the other boy's pride any. Cedric was a decent enough guy to keep any laughter or mocking comments to himself.

XXX

James Potter was standing outside the office of Amelia Bones for just a few moments when the door opened and Kingsley Shacklebolt stepped out, with a rather shell-shocked expression, which was surprising to see on his normally impassive face. Shacklebolt a good man and a good Auror. He was five years younger than him but James had no doubt that he would make an excellent captain when the time came. When the black man caught sight of him, he closed his eyes for just a brief moment as he calmed himself.

"I'm sorry, James." He sighed before walking out of the room. It was a simple statement but caught him off guard for three reasons. One; Kingsley always observed the chain of command while on duty and as such always referred to him as Captain Potter. Two; what did he have to be sorry about? And three; there was an underlying tone of anger in his voice as he spoke that was clearly directed at him. He tried to think of anything he could have done to cause this unusual situation but he came up with nothing.

Shaking his head slightly, he put it out of his mind for the time being. He would talk to Kingsley later to find out what was wrong with the man but right now he had more important things on his mind, such as dealing with Bones. He wasn't quite sure what this meeting was about but if he had to guess, it probably had something to do with another round of retraining for all Aurors. While he may not agree with all of Amelia's decisions, he couldn't deny that she was intelligent. Most would probably allow the Aurors to get fat and lazy but she made sure everyone stayed in peak condition even though there hadn't been a serious threat in thirteen years. That was something he would have to make sure is continued once he had the job.

Stepping into her office, the first thing he did was look around as he tried to imagine what it would look like with his possessions adorning the many shelves and tables. While the office gave an impression of strength and order, it still had a feminine feel to it. A quiet, but firm, clearing of the throat pulled him out of his musings. Turning towards the desk on the opposite side of the room, he almost flinched. For the most part, her face was expressionless, but there was a great deal of rage burning in her eyes. He had no idea what was going on but he got the distinct feeling that it was not good.

"Did you honestly believe me to be so blind?"

"Excuse me?" James asked in confusion.

"I have known for some months now that Dumbledore was looking to have me replaced with someone more inline with his way of thinking. While I was certain that you were his choice for my replacement, I was unaware that you were actively aiding him until this arrived." She said as she slid a packet of parchment across her desk. A little wary, James took a couple of steps forward and picked it up. Flipping through them, he suddenly felt sick as he read written transcripts of numerous conversations he had with other Ministry officials over the last couple of months. This certainly went a long way towards explaining Kingsley's out of character behavior outside. Bones would certainly look into this matter and he was a very competent investigator and so he was the logical choice to head the investigation. It also explained the anger he had sensed from the man. Amelia had saved his life when he did something rather foolish as a rookie, landing her in Saint Mungo's for three months. While he respected Dumbledore, his loyalty had always been to Amelia.

"Is this a joke?" He stated firmly, trying to salvage anything he could. The cold look on her face didn't change. She didn't even blink. "Someone sends you this bit of rubbish and you instantly believe it? Anyone could have written these."

"They were also kind enough to include the recording crystals that those transcripts were copied from. Voice recognition and magical signature scans matched for all parties involved. Including your own."

"But, but surely you can see that someone sent these to discredit me."

"I don't care who sent them or why." Amelia snapped before continuing with a predatory grin. "Despite the potential you have shown, or rather because of it, throughout your career, I find myself sorely disappointed. I would have expected more of a challenge from you and Albus."

"Err, what?" James was feeling decidedly uneasy, this didn't seem like the same woman he had known for the last fifteen years.

"I simply find it amusing that the two of you were working so hard towards a goal that would never be achieved. My position here has _never_ been in any danger, I made sure of that as soon as I took this office. I didn't spend thirty years of my life in the field to simply roll over when some self righteous old man feels I've outlived my usefulness. Now, as I'm sure you're wondering where this meeting is going, I'll get right to the point. Effective immediately, you have been suspended indefinitely while we investigate this matter thoroughly. Senor Auror Shacklebolt will oversee operations on an interim basis until his promotion to captain becomes official."

"WHAT! _Captain _Shacklebolt?" Sure, he was planning to promote the man as well but where did that leave him now.

"Of course," Amelia answered with a small smirk. She really was enjoying this. "Of course, Scrimgeour is the ranking officer right now, but Shacklebolt is more than competent enough for the job and has no real political aspirations of his own, unlike yourself and Rufus."

"But, but what about me?" James nearly screamed. He couldn't believe what he was hearing. He had busted his ass for Amelia for fifteen years, either when she was his team leader, Auror Captain or department head, he had always given her everything he had.

"What about you?" She asked in mock confusion. "You're suspended remember. I suppose you could return as a team leader if our investigation doesn't turn up any _legal_ wrong doing, but I'm afraid that your actions have proven that you can not be trusted enough to handle the responsibilities associated with a position beyond that. On a side note, if you choose to seek employment elsewhere within the Ministry, I think you'll find you will get no sympathy or assistance from the other departments where a ranking position would be involved. You have already tried to subvert me, they certainly won't be lining up to give you the opportunity to do it to them as well. You really should have thought this through more thoroughly, James."

XXX

"Sirius!" Looking up from his desk, the current head of the Black family wasn't as surprised to see Lily Potter approaching him as he would have been the day before. In fact, he had been expecting her to show up sometime today but currently he was in absolutely no mood to deal with her or her temper. He had been reviewing reports concerning Voldemort's possible location in Albania and the connection, if any, to the disappearance of Berth Jorkins. He had thought that by transferring from the Aurors to the Department of Mysteries that he would be doing something else but it would seem that while the Aurors policed England, the Unspeakables were stuck investigating every foreign threat that presented itself. While the assignments were certainly interesting and the regular trips around Europe were great, it seemed most of what he did was chasing down a supposed 'rising Dark Lord' only to find that its nothing more than some petty crook with an over inflated ego. There was also a great deal more wet work. With a sigh, he closed his file.

"This isn't about Harry!" Lily said immediately, recognizing the look on Sirius' face as the one he gets right before he shuts down and doesn't respond to anything around him.

"Really?" He asked in a disbelieving tone. What else could she possibly be here to talk about?

"I would think that after being married to him for sixteen years that I know James enough to know that you aren't nearly as unreasonable or as 'traitorous' as he claims." Sirius merely grunted in reply. "So, um, what are you working on?"

"While you may work in this department as well, you know perfectly well that research and development personnel are not permitted access to information from field agents unless…"

"Yes, yes, I know." Lily interrupted in aggravation. Ever since joining the Department of Mysteries, she had been deeply curious about what it was that Unspeakables did but she was never able to get a definite answer. Some said they were spies and assassins, others claimed they were merely investigators while others still believed they were actually all three. Lily was inclined to believe this last one above the others. While she didn't like to imagine Sirius killing people, she couldn't very well imagine the department financing so many Unspeakables to simply look for more things for the research department to study. When he first transferred from the Aurors she thought she might actually be able to get a solid answer but with every question she asked, she always got that same damned answer.

"So, if this doesn't concern the Krums, what is it?" Lily suddenly seemed unsure of herself as she looked around to make sure no one else was listening. This simple act was enough to get Sirius' interest piqued as well as make him worry.

"Um, what do you know about Necromancers?" She asked quietly despite the privacy wards that surrounded every desk in this wing of the Ministry. Harry's argument, almost supporting the practice, got her deeply interested in what the magic entailed. Ever since she entered the magical world, all she ever heard was that it was an extremely dark and evil brand of magic, and she had believed it. But the way Harry had talked about it, it sounded more neutral than anything else, much like elemental magic. If this was indeed true, why would Albus have abandoned his studies after years of dedication and turned on his _master _as he did? Under normal circumstances, she wasn't one to let others to do her thinking for her, so she decided to get as much information on the subject as she could and if any of her friends had access to such material, it was certainly Sirius, who's family had always embraced the darkest of all magic.

Lily's question deeply confused Sirius for several reasons. For instance, why was she suddenly taking an interest in such an art? Why was she coming to him? And, why did she phrase her question as if she knew nothing when she had access to the department's library? To get the most out of any conversation, she always researched as much as the topic as she could before asking questions. But in this instance it would seem that she was reluctant to do so. Suddenly a small smirk spread across his lips as the answer came to him.

"Ah, so, you've found out about Albus, have you?" That certainly explained her lack of knowledge. She didn't want their colleagues and superiors asking questions concerning her motives. She never was a very good liar.

"How do you know about that?"

"You'll find that he was not as thorough as he would have liked. I have no doubt that it is widely known within the department but I am unaware if they have any hard evidence. How did you come by this fascinating piece of history?" Lily was thrown off by his attitude. He seemed almost like Snape when he talked about how ignorant his Gryffindor students were. It was clear that whatever respect he had for the Headmaster was cast aside a long time ago.

"Last night Harry tried blackmailing Albus. He claimed to have a journal that once belonged to Gellert Grindlewald, proving that he was once Grindlewald's apprentice." Sirius began coughing violently at that bit of information. While he had known of Dumbledore's past studies, he was unaware of where he learned the art.

"Grindlewald? Are you sure? I mean, it couldn't have been a ruse to simply get the old man off his back?"

"Absolutely not!" Lily said with certainty. "The way Harry described it, left no doubt that he had at least seen it and read through it before. Dumbledore went completely white at that point and actually tried a memory charm. Judging by Albus' reaction, I'm certain everything he said was true."

"Hmm, this could actually be good." Sirius mused.

"Good? How can this be good? Do you know what this information could do to our world?" Lily screamed. She couldn't believe that he was taking such an 'oh well' attitude about this.

"Now you're just being dramatic, Lily. Have you looked outside of England lately? Most of the world wouldn't care. Sure, they would be shocked, probably even outraged, but they would move on with their lives. England, however…" Sirius sat in silence for a few moments as he thought things over. "Do you know how much power Albus truly has? Judging by the look on your face, you clearly have no idea what I'm talking about. Well, let me give you a little overview of the political landscape at the moment.

"Albus controls the courts, he controls both Hogwarts and through his 'stooges', the Board of Governors as well. He has James, who he has been molding for years to assume Amelia's responsibilities, giving him control of the law enforcement. He is constantly whispering in Minister Fudge's ear to the point where, like James, he will no longer make any serious decision without Albus' impute and consent. He has either direct or nominal control over almost ever aspect of our society. Now, you tell me, where does that leave us?"

"Well, if what you are saying is true…"

"Don't give me that bullshit, Lily." Sirius snapped angrily. "Put that childish awe you have every time you look at the man aside for one goddamned minute. You know perfectly well that _everything_ I have said is one hundred percent accurate. Now, let's try that again, shall we? Where does that leave us?"

"In a dictatorship."

"With the illusion of a democracy." He agreed. "And much like Slughorn did during our time at Hogwarts, Albus consistently works on promising young students to the point where they come to think of him as a wise, caring grandparent figure so that once they graduate and establish themselves, he has extra eyes and ears. Don't get me wrong, he wants what he feels is best for our world but who is he to decide what's best for us? If Albus got what he wanted and had complete control, even if he did everything right, the man is one hundred and fifty years old, Lily! For Merlin's sake, what do you think will happen when he's gone? We will have a government that has no idea how to operate without him there to tell them what to do. That journal could go a long way in marginalizing him, allowing people to do their jobs without his interference even if it is never made public."

The two old friends sat in silence as Lily thought this over and she couldn't come up with any other conclusion, much to her disappointment. However, beyond that, she was greatly surprised that it was Sirius of all people that she was having this conversation with. She had never really thought of him as a deep thinker. During there time at Hogwarts, and for the first three years after, he was probably the most immature person she had ever met, even surpassing James at his worst. But after Voldemort attacked, and they thought Harry dead, he had closed in on himself, creating an entirely different person but one that, once again, she wouldn't expect to take matters as seriously as he seemed at the moment.

"What did you mean when you said that Albus was looking to have James replace Madam Bones?"

"I meant precisely that. Amelia isn't the type to bend over for anyone, no matter how powerful they might be, so Albus has been subtly working on Fudge and many others with the Ministry to have her reassigned. Probably to an advisory position somewhere that carries little, if any, real weight. And with Albus' help, James has been positioning himself to be the only logical choice to assume her duties afterwards. Unfortunately for them, Aleksander Krum caught wind of it and had Amelia anonymously informed two days ago. She believes strongly in the whole chain of command issue so naturally she was a bit upset that one of her subordinates was circumventing her."

"WHAT? But what's going to happen to James?" Lily asked frantically.

"He was scheduled to meet with Amelia fifteen minutes ago, where she no doubt informed him that he was being demoted pending a full investigation."

"But, but its only temporary, right? He will get his job back once the investigation is over, wont he?"

"No, Lily, he won't. The evidence presented was incontrovertible. The results of the investigation will merely determine whether or not he will be let go entirely, along with anyone else involved."

"How did Krum get this information, why is he even getting involved?"

"I would think that would have been obvious. If you witnessed Fedor's meeting with Albus, I'm sure you are aware that Aleksander has absolutely no interest in giving Fedor up and likewise, Fedor has no wish to leave. Since they first found out about the Tri-Wizard Tournament, they knew that he would be one of those chosen to come to Hogwarts and by extension, that Albus would discover who he was. As things now stand, if you were to prove that he was indeed Harry Potter, the Krums wouldn't have a chance. You and James are pretty influential in you own right, after all, and you know the weight Albus carries. So if they are going to win they have to remove that influence. Aleksander will be working all the political angles he can, Olivia has snatched _The Daily Prophet _out from under Albus and from what I understand, Victor and Fedor are winning over the Hogwarts students quicker than they thought possible. By the time this matter gets taken before the Wizengamot, the Potter name won't be worth very much in the eyes of the public while Fedor's will be golden."

"Obviously, you don't think we can win, and clearly you feel Harry is better off with them. So why are you telling me all this when we can work to head it off?"

"You can't head it off, Lily." Sirius stated sadly. "Everyone that has an inkling of what is coming knows that it is a foregone conclusion. If this was your normal political games, sure, you could do _something_ to stop it. But they're not going to come after you with lies and rumors that your friends, colleagues and those that respect you can simply ignore. They're using the undeniable truth. _Everything_! James' corruption on the International Dueling Committee, directed primarily at Fedor, no less. His involvement in Albus' attempt to get Amelia sacked. Dumbledore's cover-ups concerning Allen's bullying at Hogwarts. That alone could cost him his position as Headmaster. And that's just the beginning. They are going to _ruin_ you.

"As for why I'm telling you this, call it a warning from an old friend. You are much better off by letting this go. James chose to disregard just about everything I said to him last night and to be honest, I'm tired of talking about it when I have no doubt that you are going to ignore my warnings as well. So…"

"What does Romulus Valavicius have to do with any of this?" Lily asked suddenly, knowing that Sirius was ready for her to go but still wanting to get as much information as she could. She wasn't able to get much understanding out of James' rant earlier that morning but unlike her husband, she had heard the name before. She just couldn't see how such a criminal was involved with Harry. Sirius merely sighed.

"He is Olivia Krums grandfather." Lily instantly paled. "You have access to a lot of information down here that James would never see, or would likely ignore, believing that it doesn't effect him, so I'm sure you can understand the very real potential for violence present in this situation. James seems to want to ignore it, believing that Albus knows what he's doing, but please, Lily, don't let him do anything stupid." Lily quietly gave him her promise before returning to her own work area where, just before sitting down, she growled in frustration as she realized that while caught up in their conversation about Albus, she had completely forgot about her reason for speaking to Sirius in the first place. Looking around her desk and seeing that she didn't have much to do at the moment, she decided to just take her chances and visit the department library.

XXX

"ALBUS!" Dumbledore looked up from his pacing to see the head of James Potter in his fireplace. "I'm coming through!" He said curtly before pulling back. The old man waved his wand at the fireplace, removing the blocking charms, as he sighed heavily. Not two seconds later, the man stepped through and he looked irate.

"That bitch went and fired me!" Albus blinked for a moment in confusion until the Valavicius girl's words concerning a 'demotion' came back to him. It would seem that after his meeting with Amelia, James had gone to just about everyone in the Ministry he had thought could help, even Minister Fudge, but no one would even see him, let alone help him get his rightful position back.

"This is most distressing." Dumbledore commented as he sat down behind his desk after James finished explaining. "Though it does help to explain that while many had appeared enthusiastic about aiding us, they were unwilling to offer their full and open support." Those that had the power to have Amelia replaced were either political allies of hers or were afraid of crossing her, afraid of whatever her numerous files may hold. While Dumbledore routinely used an official's wrongdoings as leverage to get what he wanted, for the most part he was unwilling to actually use that information in an offensive manner should his demands not be met. Madam Bones would show no such restraint.

"I'm ashamed to admit that I have underestimated Amelia. I would not have expected such tactics from her. In light of today's events, I believe we must make the Ministry aware of Harry sooner than we planned."

"Why?" James asked in confusion. "This doesn't really change anything. Their investigation will be over soon enough and I'm sure that once she has calmed down, Amelia will realize that I'm much more useful as Captain." Albus looked at him in bewilderment for a moment before grabbing _The Daily Prophet _off of his desk and dropping it into the younger man's lap.

Plastered all over the front page was a formal apology to their readers for the false and misleading articles that had dominated their pages for the past several years. According to the article _all _of their reporters had been replaced, the only one to survive this purge was Rita Skeeter, both for her popularity and the fact that she was a gossip columnist, she was paid to write her _opinion_ on the news, not necessarily the news itself. No matter what their claims, neither James or Albus gave much weight to this particular announcement, they probably merely had their writers change their pennames as opposed to finding new reporters.

According to the editor, for the foreseeable future, there would now be two editions of _The Prophet _each morning. One to bring the current news and the other to retract and correct their previous statements. James went red with anger as he turned the page to find that the first article they chose to reprint was their coverage of last years dueling tournament. They apparently chose this one to feature first because Rita Skeeter had arrived at Hogwarts several hours early to witness the _Weighing of the Wands, _and had witnessed Allen Potter attempting to humiliate Fedor Krum only to have it backfire. To make sure that the event was reported on fairly, instead of writing up a new article themselves, they printed the official press release of the International Dueling Committee. The committee's evaluation of Allen's skills did nothing to improve his mood, neither was the fact that as a companion piece to this article was a report regarding his ejection from the committee and Allen's ban from competition as well as the reasons behind those actions.

"You can certainly understand that this will not be good for our cause, we must give both the press and the general public something else to talk about and the return of Harry Potter will certainly do just that."

XXX

With a little less than a mile left to go, Cedric had turned his head and hunched over slightly as he lost the remains of his small breakfast but he didn't stop running. While he was in great shape, when at Hogwarts he tended to neglect his usual summer routine due to classes and Quiditch. Looking at Fedor, who was still right beside him, he noticed that while he was breathing heavily and sweating profusely, he looked like he could go for quite some time now. Groaning slightly, he realized that if he were to have a hope to win this tournament he would have to find the time to get back into peak condition since fitness will no doubt be a factor in at least two, but probably all three, tasks.

Though they had been facing in that direction for some time now, it wasn't until they reached their starting point and he began to walk around as he cooled down, that he noticed that the small crowd that had gathered outside the school when they had begun almost two hours before had grown at least six times over with students from all four houses as well as some from Durmstrang and Beauxbatons. Even a few professors were present. Though Dumbledore seemed to be absent. He had been sure that the man would have been present the entire morning if for no other reason than to make sure Allen didn't get himself killed. Madam Pomfrey, however, was there. With a disapproving scowl on her face.

Many were looking at him and Fedor in shock. They obviously couldn't believe that someone would willing run around the entire lake, much less do so without stopping to walk at some point. Many others had retrieved a pair of Omnioculars from their dorms, or had borrowed them, and were looking farther, much farther, down the shore with wide grins on their faces.

Looking back with squinted eyes, Cedric couldn't see much other than two distant figures and an occasional burst of light. He was however able to hear the screams, though he couldn't make out the actual words. Despite his usual kindhearted nature, he couldn't really bring himself to feel sorry for the boy any more than he would feel for Malfoy if he were in that same position. In his opinion the only difference between the two fourth years was the house they were sorted into. While he didn't usually go for the whole house rivalry thing, except on the Quiditch pitch, he didn't like bullies one bit and saw it as poetic justice.

"_What was our time?"_ Fedor asked Anna as he struggled to keep his breath steady.

"_Two hours fifty two minutes and twelve seconds. Almost six minutes faster than last week. I'm sure Potter will appreciate that, if he gets back here alive, that is."_ She added sarcastically.

"_How did it go with Dumbledore?"_

"_Perfectly. I'm not sure how much of the school knows about it, but many of the students out here came out after hearing about it to see what really happened. Most seemed to want to give Dumbledore the benefit of the doubt but when they heard about his unconvincing denials and that he had actually tried to defend his reasoning for interfering with Madam Bones, they seemed to get upset with him."_

"_That's good to know. By now, Potter is probably out of a job, or at least busted down to a file clerk or something, and The Daily Prophet should be here soon."_

"_You realize, of course, Dumbledore will have no choice but to come after you real soon?" _Anna asked with in a worried tone. Unlike the rest of her family, she wasn't one hundred percent sure they could win a legal battle against Dumbledore and the Potters. They knew their plans were as good as they could make them but she still had her doubts. The product of growing up in a family of criminals. She was always nervous that something would happen to her father or grandfather. As long as she was pessimistic about such things, she could never be completely caught off guard if something were to go wrong.

It wasn't until a little over half an hour later that Potter and Victor showed up. Potter immediately collapsed to the ground, panting hard and wincing as he aggravated the numerous boils and welts he had received thanks to his inability to keep the set pace. Victor never once thought about telling the boy that he should walk around for a bit to keep his muscles from seizing up. Though tired, Victor was still in complete control of his body, walking wide circles around the fallen boy as he cooled down, paying no attention to the watching crowd until Madam Pomfrey stormed over with an irate look on her face. She pulled out her wand and after casting a diagnostic charm she was about to heal some of the exhausted boy's wounds when Victor stepped between them.

"I apologize, but I can't let you do that."

"WHAT? But he's hurt, get out of my way you stupid boy!"

"According to our agreement with Headmaster Dumbledore, no one is to interfere, that includes you. He is not in any danger of dying at this time so your presence is not required. If you have a problem with that, you can take it up with your employer." Not giving the woman time to respond, Victor leaned down and grabbed Potter by the collar of his robes, pulling him roughly to his feet and leading him off as the younger boy screamed and cursed the entire way.

Neither Victor or Fedor had any intention of allowing Potter to inhibit their workout so they decided to just get the matter over with which led to the two younger boys facing each other with blunted swords in hand. They wouldn't break the skin but they sure as hell would hurt, maybe even brake a bone or two if hit hard enough. Potter had initially complained that he didn't have any experience with sword but Fedor just waved that off, explaining that he wasn't trying to teach him fencing, it was merely an exercise to increase his strength, stamina, speed, reaction time and hand/eye coordination. All of which he believed Potter severely lacked. What followed was a ten minute beating. No other word for it.

Throughout this process, the watching students looked on in morbid fascination. Though they were certain that he was in a great deal of pain, they couldn't bring themselves to be overly sympathetic. As a matter of fact, most were enjoying the show immensely. It grew to well beyond comical proportions when Potter finally seemed to snap and reached for his wand only to remember that he had never gotten it back when he had been disarmed earlier that morning.

Growling in frustration and anger, he merely charged forward, intending to beat Fedor over the head with his sword. The fact that the other boy looked unconcerned by this only enraged him further. A sudden roar of laughter erupted in the on looking crowd as Fedor easily knocked the blade aside and swept Allen's legs out from under him. He tried to get up again but his cramped and exhausted muscles refused to obey his commands. He just laid there looking up at the sky as his lugs burned as he tried to suck in as much air as he could. His eyes narrowed as Krum step up beside him, looking down with a smirk on his face. The last thing he saw was Krum lifting up his leg before bringing it back down again, then all went black.

"MEDIC!" Fedor called out before turning away from the unconscious idiot. While kicking him in the head was probably unnecessary, it certainly felt good. Upon hearing Fedor's yell, Victor looked over at him with an odd look on his face. His break in concentration earned him a good pop in the ribs by Cedric, who, while not great with a sword, was a quick study. After calling his sparing partner off, he turned back to his little brother.

"_Medic?" _He asked in a disbelieving tone.

"_What? I always wanted to say that." _Fedor defended himself with a shrug before looking at the others present, many of whom were reading the morning's edition of the Daily Prophet while talking excitedly with those around them. "Well, one of you take him to the hospital wing." With a shake of his head, an older redheaded Gryffindor student stepped forward and levitated Potter off the ground even though he looked like he would prefer just stick him behind some bushes and forget about him. As he walked past towards the castle, Anna handed the guy, one of the Weasley twins, Potter's wand to take with him.

Looking towards his brother, he found him still sparing with Cedric while also giving him advice. Sighing, he was about to put away his sword to move onto his magic when Fleur came up behind him. She didn't say anything but he could feel her restrained Veela allure tickling on the edge of his mind. Turning around, he saw her lean down to pick up the sword that Potter had dropped before looking at him with a quirked eyebrow as she weighed the weapon. Apparently not liking the feel, she took out her wand and easily transfigured it to something more comfortable for her. The blade thinned out quite a bit but lengthened until a classy looking rapier rested in her hand.

"_Ah, so you've handled a sword before?" _He asked her in French. She seemed a bit surprised by this since he had not used his knowledge of her language before now_. "Are you any good?" _She simply smirked as she lunged forward and almost to fast for him to see, parried his larger blade aside. Fedor's eyes crossed a bit as he looked down, feeling the tip of her blade gentle resting against his Adams apple.

"_I practice a small bit if I have the time!" _

'Small bit, my ass.' He thought to himself. Thinking he may get a challenge today, after all, he quickly removed the charms that increased his swords weight during practice before shifting it to a similar style as hers. As the sword was magically bond to him, he could change its general dimensions with a simple thought.

"_Before we begin, let us move away from prying ears."_ This immediately piqued both his curiosity and his suspicion but complied nonetheless. They moved closer to the lake's edge before she removed her blue Beauxbatons student robes to reveal her loose cotton pants and brown leather vest that she wore over a plain white long-sleeved tunic. No, this was certainly no spur of the moment thing, she came prepared for a fight. Fedor nodded in approval before they began without a word. He was instantly impressed. She was both fast and accurate and her reaction time was fantastic.

"_What most do not know about Veela," _She began as she casually parried his trust aside before her attack was likewise deflected._ "Is that small scale illusions do not effect us the same as they do humans, no matter how sophisticated." _She immediately seized advantage of his momentary break in concentration to jab him right in his sternum, causing him to hiss in pain. While the charms would prevent any fatal injury, it still hurt like hell to get poked in the chest like that.

"_Your point being?" _He tried to sound casual but he was getting really nervous. He hated performing memory charms on people whose magic was still developing, it could cause serious problems later on in life if he were to make the slightest mistake.

"_At first, I could not understand why you wore that silly charm, but then Potter confronted you during lunch with his insipid arrogance. While your hair is longer, complexion darker and are in better shape, the resemblance is there despite his constant condescending expressions while yours are more impassive. While I had my suspicions, I was not certain until this morning when I figured out that scar on your forehead." _Fedor cursed to himself. Veela were aura readers, he knew that but it never crossed his mind. She would have been able to see it whether his glamour worked on her or not.

"_Well, now that you've confirmed your suspicions, what do you plan to do with that information?" _Fleur didn't seem the least bit intimidated by his threatening tone.

"_Nothing. It seems that this will be far more entertaining if I not interfere."_

"_Entertaining, how?" _He was feeling very uneasy. He hated loose ends but in this situation a memory charm was out of the question. Even if he wiped her memory of it altogether she would simply figure it out again soon enough.

"_I don't think anyone else will connect you or your family with the new direction the English press is going this morning, at least not until after Dumbledore exposes you, for certainly he knows who you are. I find it very humorous that you plan to tear apart this country's illusions about their 'savior'."_

"_That isn't why we are doing it?"_

"_Of course not, but its part of it. Dumbledore won't like that you have been raised out of his power and he'll certainly seek to get you within his grasp. To prevent that you must cast doubt on the suitability of the Potters as guardians and to do that you must show them for whom they truly are, not the image they want seen. While I don't know much about you birth parents, I do know a lot about Dumbledore and seeing him get brought down a few pegs will certainly be amusing."_ Fedor only nodded in agreement, he was quite looking forward to that as well.

They continued sparing in silence, with each scoring several hits. He was usually a very good judge of other people's abilities but he was caught off guard in this instance. While he was aware that she obviously had her skills, she was chosen as a Tri-Wizard champion, after all, he couldn't imagine her as a fighter. It was a rather pleasant surprise.

They went back and forth for nearly ten minutes before they found themselves only a couple of feet apart with the other's blade pressed up under their chins. They eyed each other critically for just a moment before they both moved once again, only to come to another stalemate, blades resting against the sides of their necks. Not giving the French Veela a chance to back off, he ducked his head to the side as he reached out to grab her off hand. Spinning her around and pulling her in, he pinned her to his chest with the edge of his sword pressed firmly across her throat.

While he couldn't see the look on her face, he was able to feel the steady pace of her breathing showing that despite their rather enthusiastic duel, far from being exhausted, she was more than capable of continuing for some time. Then again, he had yet to meet a Veela that was not in perfect shape.

"_Well, it would seem that I win this round!" _He whispered into her ear. He had a hard time keeping his voice steady. While her 'charm' would not work on his to the extent of others, the feel of her body pressed against his had the natural reaction of young men everywhere.

"_I think not." _Her reply confused him for only a moment until he felt a couple of gentle pokes to the right side of his chest, just underneath his arm pit. Having no doubt what he'd find there, he looked down to confirm what he already knew. When he had grabbed her, she merely altered her grip and twisted her wrist so that her blade ran along the length of her arm, pointing skyward. She was obviously experienced enough to position her arm outward enough to ensure that her body would not hinder her strike. As a result, no matter which direction he moved, she would be able to deliver a killing blow.

"_Ah, so, we'll call it a draw, then." _ He suggested with some embarrassment. He honestly didn't think that any student there could compete with him other than Victor and while they had seemed evenly matched, he believed that she was at least a little better with a sword than he was. Possibly as good as Victor. When he had mentioned this to his brother a few hours later as they headed back to the ship to shower and change for lunch, he wasn't prepared to be laughed at.

While he knew about some of the Veelas' powers, he never thought to look into their history. Victor, who had studied their culture a bit when he got a crush on a Veela student in his third year, explained that while they were certainly good looking, they could also be very dangerous. Like the goblins, they were once a warlike people, a necessity when wizards and muggles alike, compelled by lust, would seek to enslave them. They settled down slightly after the magical and muggle worlds separated and then again after a treaty was signed with the International Confederation of Wizards in 1709, outlawing the slavery of 'near human creatures' and giving the Veela the right to punish any transgressors as they saw fit. While the treaty itself did little to stop the 'hunting' it took only a few instances of wizards being buried up to their necks in red hot coals for the point to be made.

Though they no longer actively train for the event of open war, by tradition, they still teach these skills to their children, especially those that live outside of their own settlements where humans are forbidden unless they have been taken as a mate. Presently, it is rare, but there have been instances where those that live or travel among wizards and witches are attacked and her 'allure' is not enough to subdue them and their abilities to fight becomes essential.

For the rest of the day, you could find students with their heads buried in their copies of _The Daily Prophet _as they laughed and talked to their friends. Those that had witnessed Potter's performance in the competition, either from being present or from watching his duel in Defense Against the Dark Arts, confirmed the IDC's evaluation to their fellow students. The high point came when Allen Potter limped into the Great Hall for dinner after being released from the hospital wing. As he made his way to the Gryffindor table he was painfully aware of the stares and giggles that followed him. Thinking that they were mocking him because of those idiot Krum brothers and their sadistic workouts, he merely glared at everyone present before taking his seat.

After a few minutes thought, Seamus Finnegan, deciding that it would be best for Allen to find out sooner rather than later, pulled out his copy of the paper and slid it over to his friend. Allen looked confused for a moment before he began reading. As he got further along, his complexion alternated between a pasty white and a sickly green before finally settling in a deep scarlet red. With a scream of rage, that only seemed to bring more laughter, he threw the paper down and stalked out of the hall. If it was anyone else, they may have felt sorry for him, after all, a panel of some of the greatest duelists in the world calling your abilities sloppy and mediocre could not be good for your ego.

The following two weeks proceeded in much the same fashion. The English press continued distributing their _corrections _everyday which often left Dumbledore, the Potters and many within the Ministry, annoyed, irritated or just plain angry while many others who had been victims of unscrupulous reports in the past breathed a sigh of relief when their specific apologies and retractions were printed. It wasn't completely smooth for the paper, however, as some were furious that such things were being printed about their nation's hero, whether it was true or not.

During this time, Victor and Fedor continued with their training, with Cedric participating most of the time and Fleur had even joined them on a few more occasions, mostly to keep her fencing skills in good order as well as work out her magic. Victor had learned that the first task in the Tri-Wizard Tournament was to involve dragons and this greatly excited the two brothers and they went over every way they knew who to either avoid, subdue or kill the creatures, they didn't particularly care which of the three would be required.

With ten days left until the first task, the biggest change within Hogwarts happened just as they were sitting down to dinner. Everyone present could see that Dumbeldore was very excited about something but couldn't figure out what until four Aurors entered the Great Hall and approached the Hufflepuff table were they stopped right behind Fedor Krum. Everyone was watching with wide eyes as they tried to figure out what the boy had done. Both Potter and Malfoy looked especially excited about seeing the boy dragged off to Azkaban, no matter how miniscule his crime may have been. Fedor, himself, didn't look particularly worried as he continued to eat, choosing to take no notice of the men behind him.

"Harry James Potter, you are ordered by the Ministry of Magic to accompany us to the office of Amelia Bones, Director of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, regarding your kidnapping by Aleksander Krum." The only sound that could be heard was the clattering of silverware as students and professors alike dropped them in shock. Everyone was looking between the Aurors and the Durmstrang champion who still seemed to pay the four men no attention at all. Victor made no effort to keep his smirk off his face as his little brother continued to eat as if they had said nothing at all.

"Harry James Potter…" He continued a little louder but was cut off.

"I'll give you a piece of advise, gentlemen. If you want him to do anything beyond disregarding your presence, I suggest you not use that name again." Victor advised. The lead Auror looked a little put out but heeded the advice nonetheless.

"Fedor Krum…"

"Yes, yes, I know. I'm finished anyway." Fedor finally looked up as he stood and almost laughed at all the gob smacked faces. "Well, thanks to Dumbledore, it looks like I won't be needing this anymore." He announced as he reached into his shirt and removed his pendant. Having no desire to discard it, he simply placed it into his pocket. While he no longer needed the illusion, his mother had created it for him a long time ago and so it carried a certain amount of sentimental value.

The Aurors got a little jumpy by this action and drew their wands before stopping in shock as his features began to morph slightly. They had been told that the boy was actually the kidnapped son of their former captain but they were apparently unprepared as the reality came crashing down on them. Once again, a gasp ran through the hall as everyone stared at the face of a slightly darker and more serious version of Allen Potter.

"Well, shall we go, then?" He asked, showing no concern at all, before walking out of the hall. The Aurors took a few moments but eventually regained enough control over themselves to follow. Once they were gone the hall exploded as everyone seemed to want to make their voices heard at once. The only exceptions were the majority of the Durmstrang students, who simply didn't care. Fleur seemed to find the situation amusing. Dumbledore was still looking out towards the doors with a calculating expression and Professor McGonagall who was watching Dumbledore.

She had no doubt that he had been aware of this before hand, maybe even influenced when the Aurors would arrive to suit him. It was absolutely ridiculous that they would make such an announcement in such a public forum. Amelia Bones would certainly never condone such actions much less put the boy on public display like that. She didn't quite understand what was going on but it was clear to see that Albus had his own plans.

Other than those previously names, one other seemed unconcerned about the events taking place around him, and that was Allen Potter, himself. This was because he didn't seem to be capable of formulating his thoughts, much less vocalizing them. He just sat there perfectly still, staring off with unseeing eyes.

**AN: **Wasn't particularly happy with how this chapter came out but I couldn't really think of anything to make it better. The last two or three pages just seemed rushed. At some point down the road I'm probably going to clean it up a bit when figure out how I want it, I'll let you know when I do that.

As always, I'd love to hear your thoughts so if you have the time, please review.


	8. Chapter 8

I have received a number of e-mails and reviews from people who seem think my plot is wholly unoriginal, believing Harry's brother being thought of as the BWL is way overused and ludicrous as it deviates too far away from cannon. Well, let me explain a few important facts. I believe the 'kindest' e-mail I received in this regard calls this fic a 'piece of shit' and I'm told to go kill myself.

My reasoning for this general plot is not simply to use as a reason for confrontation between Fedor and Allen. I use this story to come up with my own ideas on two points. One; what would Harry have been like if he was raised in a stable, or relatively stable, environment inside the magical world? And two; what would Harry have been like if James and Lily survived the attack and raised him, where he would be raised in the limelight following Voldemort's defeat? It is a contrast in how different childhoods could have brought about different results in the same person. Allen, in my head, is not Harry's twin, he's Harry that was raised as 'England's Hero'.

So, you have two brothers who were raised completely different, one busted his ass for everything he's achieved and the other is a spoiled little shit. Confrontation is inevitable when you throw the two together, especially when Fedor garners the majority of the attention when Allen believes that that is his rightful place.

Now, I've explained this as politely as I could, if you don't like my reasoning or this story, then go read something else, or better yet, try writing your own instead of spending all day reading someone else's just to think up ways to ridicule them.

Vanishing Illusions

By

Trelawney's Love Toy

Chapter Eight:

Being led through the Ministry, Fedor attracted many stares, everyone wondering who he was considering the obvious similarities to both James and Allen Potter. Though on the outside he looked as impassive and without care as ever, on the inside, he was near panic with worry. He knew that Amelia Bones was an honorable woman and nothing much would come of this meeting, it was just the beginning of a long process, but he had all these scenarios running through his head that he would be taken and put directly into the Potters' custody despite school, the tournament and the fact that he was a foreign citizen.

"_Level Two: Department of Magical Law Enforcement" _

Sighing at the sickeningly sweet voice that echoed as the lift doors open, Fedor stepped out into a hallway that was lined with 'windows' that gave a more picturesque view of the London skyline. A view that certainly never truly existed. He couldn't help but roll his eyes. These English wizards seemed to prefer illusions to reality in just about every aspect of their society.

They past several people in the hall, all stopped to stare at him in confusion but no one said a word, which relieved him slightly. The end of the hall was split into two directions. A sign on the wall ahead pointing to the right indicated the location of the Misuse of Muggle Artifacts and The Improper Use of Magic Offices while to the left was Magical Reversal Squad and Auror Headquarters. His Auror 'escorts' led him to the left where they passed cubical after cubical with paper airplanes flying overhead. Once again, they drew a lot of attention but unlike others, these Aurors voiced their questions but all were ignored as they approached Madam Bones' office.

A rather attractive young witch sat at her desk outside the door and she watched them approach with wide eyes. Like everyone else that day, this had taken her completely by surprise and she didn't know what to think. When she had heard Auror Greene speaking about it as he left for Hogwarts just an hour ago, she didn't believe it, it was ridiculous, after all. Now, after seeing the young man, she wasn't so sure. When they reached her, she just waved them past. Madam Bones demanded that they be brought in immediately so that they could get this over with.

As they stepped into the office, Fedor schooled his features into an irritated scowl. Not even taking the time to look around, he stalked forward and sat down in front of Bones' desk, doing his best to ignore the presence of James and Lily Potter who were standing off to the side. He sat there for a moment as he glared into the older woman's dark brown, almost black eyes. He found the monocle she used to be a little ridiculous but over all she seemed to be a slightly imposing. She seemed surprised as everyone else so far. He and Allen were supposed to be twins, after all, but their different lifestyles had made some striking differences in their appearances.

"Madam, while I understand the need to get to the bottom of this situation, I do not appreciate you sending your Aurors to pull me away from my dinner like some common criminal while announcing to the world that my father is a kidnapper!" His words were spoken softly but there was a very dangerous edge to it. It was a bit of a gamble but he was rewarded when her anger at being spoken to in such a way was suddenly diverted as his exact words registered with her.

"REBECCA!" She snapped angrily as she stood up. Almost instantly, the receptionist outside ran into the room, looking both worried and confused. "Send Aurors Greene, Sanderson, Radford and Keech back in here NOW!" Her words came out in a growl and the young witch ran without so much as a nod. They sat in silence for all of twenty seconds before the four Aurors burst into the office.

"Ma'am!" The lead Auror saluted with a confused expression. Fedor had to fight to keep the smirk off of his face. A fact that both Madam Bones and James Potter picked up on.

"Did I, or did I not, instruct you to show some discretion with your orders?" Four faces instantly paled.

"Well, Madam, when I flooed Professor Dumbeldore, he believed that it was best to get the matter over with quickly." Greene answered uncomfortably.

"And how, may I ask, was it best to ambush him in front of the entire Hogwarts population? How was it best to publicly announce criminal activity on Aleksander Krum's part when we have yet to reach any conclusions?" The four looked between themselves for several long moments before trying to explain but all that came out was inarticulate mumbling. "The four of you are suspended without pay for seven days!" This seemed to bring their voices back as they protested this 'absurd' punishment.

"SILENCE!" Bones roared. "Your suspension will stand and the next time you decide to violate my expressed orders you can find yourselves a new bloody job, now get out of my office." Once the men were gone her anger seemed to melt away, to be replaced with a calculating and curious expression.

"Tell me, Mr. Krum, what was your reasoning for forcing my hand like that?" He no longer felt inclined to hide his amusement.

"I thought it best that those four be reminded of who they work for. The sooner they learn that while Dumbledore's 'suggestions' may often sound reasonable, he always has in own motives behind them, the better. Who knows, it might prevent them from doing something stupid he may ask of them later on. Others in this room would have been served well if they had learned that lesson themselves."

"Indeed." Bones replied with some amusement as both James and Lily looked deeply insulted. "Now, Mr. Krum, let us get to the matter at hand. Are you, or are you not, Harry James Potter?"

"No, Madam, I am Fedor Nicholai Krum and nothing Albus Dumbledore or his two puppets here have to say will ever change that fact." Madam Bones was temporarily taken off guard by the boy's anger to such a simple question before she thought the matter through and tried to place herself in his position. He had been known as Fedor Krum his entire life, or at least the vast majority of it, it was understandable that he would be upset when someone tried to call him something else.

"Let me rephrase the question. Are your birth parents James and Lily Potter?" Fedor looked over at the two with a pensive look on his face before turning back.

"To my everlasting shame." He answered honestly.

"Interesting." Amelia mused out loud. James looked ready to make his thoughts known but Lily quickly silenced him with a warning glare. The last thing they needed was for him to lose his temper. "To the best of your knowledge, how did you come to be in the care of Aleksander and Olivia Krum?" And so he told her the same story they had feed Sirius and Dumbledore. The beauty was that they had gone over it so many times that while they knew it to be false, psychologically they almost believed it themselves. This, when combined with Occlumency, allowed them to beat out most truth charms. It did not, however, help in any way with Veritaserum but if they were careful, it wouldn't come to that.

"You said that you and your family discovered that you were the son of the Potter's when you were six, correct? How long have you known that you were, 'adopted'?" She asked delicately.

"Since I was old enough to understand, my parents never tried to hide the fact from me."

"Yet they hid the fact from everyone else! Obviously Krum knew from the very beginning because he took you from our house himself." Potter stated as if it was absolute fact. While it was true, the man's tone really pissed Fedor off.

"I am well aware that you have both spoken with Sirius recently, so you know perfectly well that that is highly unlikely. As for your first point, at first, they didn't bother to hide it from others, but neither did they advertise it, but after discovering who I was and the fact that there would no doubt be those out there to do me harm, such as the Carrows, memory charms and modifications became extremely useful."

"What does Sirius Black have to do with this?" Bones asked in surprise and James cringed a little.

"Sirius is one of mine and Viktor's dueling instructors. He comes by for a couple of days at least once a month and runs us through the grinder and just hang out."

"How long has he known about this?"

"Nearly four years now. He captured Alecto Carrow and questioned her before she later escaped. He got enough information out of her to get him to go see my father. After swearing an oath that he would reveal nothing, my father told him everything."

"Why was I not told about this _little _detail?" She hissed angrily to her former captain. Lily, who had never seen the woman angry before, was quite intimidated and James wasn't much better.

"You weren't told because any information that does not vilify my parents is another stumbling block in Dumbledore's way. As long as everyone believes that they kidnapped me, your Ministry would never allow me to return home. I would instantly be placed into the Potter's custody and by extension, under Dumbledore's control."

"What makes you so sure that Dumbledore wants you?" Amelia asked curiously. She had no love for the man but so far she hadn't heard anything that would draw the man's interest beyond being the 'missing' son of friends.

"Oh, didn't they tell you?" He asked while looking at his parents with a smirk. "Allen Potter didn't have anything to do with Voldemort's downfall, that was me and me alone. Just as he has controlled Allen Potter, he now wants to control me now that he knows the truth."

"Amelia, it is clear that Krum has been lying to my son his entire life and somehow has managed to convince Sirius of the same. I think…"

"You would do well to keep your mouth shut, Potter." Fedor interrupted with venom in his voice. "You beliefs and mindless accusations are not pertinent to the present conversation. Every word I have said is the truth and even if it wasn't, it would make no difference to me. Whether he rescued me from Carrow or took me out of your burning house himself, I…DON'T…CARE! If that were indeed the case, I would pray to every deity ever conceived and thank them that he did."

"And why is that?" Amelia knew that this meeting was going to be interesting but it was far exceeding her expectations. It quite entertaining in strange sort of way.

"Because, Madam, every time I hear the name Allen Potter, I cannot help but think that that could have been me and the thought sickens. An arrogant simpleton that flaunts his fame to everyone around him as if the sun rises and sets out of his ass."

"As I seem to understand, you appear to enjoy the fame you have achieved, yourself!" Lily spoke up for the first time. She had been trying to keep James calm but this was too much. She wasn't going to sit around and listen to _anyone_ badmouth her son.

"The difference, lady, is that everything I have, I've _earned _through years of study, hard work and dedication. Your _precious little boy _however, has had everything handed to him all his life and he holds it over everyone around him. He honestly believes that he is entitled to everything he wants, he believes he can do anything he wants and you, your husband and Dumbledore never stands in his way when he goes too far. Well, far from dealing with the problem, you've almost been actively encouraging it."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean that I'm sure you'll find tomorrow's _Daily Prophet _very enlightening."

"YOU SEE!" James shouted as he jumped to his feet. "I told you they were making up all those stories."

"We have made up nothing. We have simply pointed the paper towards the truth. I'm sure that if Madam Bones here were inclined enough to investigate the matter, she will find that every story they have printed is true. There is nothing wrong with concerned citizens exposing wrong doing."

"Am I to also understand that your family was behind the recording crystals and transcripts that were _mysteriously _delivered to my office last week?" Amelia asked with a small amount of suspicion and a little respect. She knew perfectly well that she would have to remain impartial in this matter, it was a potential criminal case after all, but she couldn't help but like this young man.

"Indeed."

"Why?"

"From what your niece, Susan, has told me, you've raised her since her parents were killed when she was just an infant, correct?" He asked after thinking for a moment. "Now lets say that some unknown relative came along and claimed that they were her rightful guardian, would you simply let her go without a fight? For that matter, do you think she would allow herself to be taken without a fight? However, I believe we are getting off track here. It is getting rather late and the next ten days are going to be extremely busy for me. Are there any other relevant questions you have?"

"Yes, as a matter of fact. I have your father's file here. Born and raised in Leningrad until settling in Sofia upon graduation from Durmstrang, and five years later he was recruited into the Death Eaters by Voldemort himself. What can you tell me about that?"

"Which part would you like clarified, moving from Russia to Bulgaria or joining the Death Eaters?" This earned him a withering glare and he had to suppress a gulp.

"This is neither the time nor the place for sarcasm, Mr. Krum."

"I apologize, but in such matters it always helps to be specific. If you wanted to know about the Death Eaters, there was no point in mentioning his change in residence." Despite herself, Madam Bones felt a small smile tug at the corner of her lips before quickly squashing it.

"Very well, yes, he was a Death Eater, even took Voldemort's mark willingly. To the best of my knowledge, he has never denied this. He was young and foolish and like so many others at that time, he was swayed by his lies. However, as I'm sure your file also states, he was never charged because to the best of anyone's knowledge, even other Death Eaters, he never took part in any attack and he had both the intelligence and the courage to leave once he found out what he had really gotten himself into."

"Indeed, it does." Bones agreed. "Also, your close relationship to members of the Valavicius family has also brought concerns. While on the surface, your father's business is legitimate, it is believed by some that it is merely a front for criminal activity."

"Another baseless accusation and one that is easily proven false. Sirius had the very same concerns when he originally met with my father. After swearing another oath, this one ensuring that he would not reveal specifics, he was granted access to all records both personal and professional regarding finance. As I'm sure he will confirm for you, my great-grandfather has no part in it. They keep their business practices strictly separate."

"If that is indeed the case, what was the need for that oath? If there is nothing untoward going on what is the harm in such information becoming known?" Fedor looked pensive at her suspicious tone as he thought things over. Coming to a conclusion, he drew one of his wands and cast every privacy charm he knew, isolating the Potters from both sight and sound. This intrigued the older woman to no end.

"First, your oath that you will not reveal anything I am about to say to anyone in any fashion, nor will you use it for your own financial gain."

"I'll humor you, however, I will swear my oath to not repeat this conversation _unless_ there is clear evidence of criminal activity."

"I can live with that but I would like it to be amended to _unresolved_ criminal activity. The only crimes involved have been satisfactorily resolved by all relevant parties." After she gave her oath, Fedor reached into his pocket at pulled out a single galleon.

"Do you know how much gold this actually contains?" Amelia blinked in confusion.

"I was under the impression that it was pure."

"Wrong, it contains one half ounce of gold and the other half is made up of other materials. Now, what is the current exchange rate for muggle currency?"

"I believe it is currently at fourteen British pounds for every galleon."

"Correct, so I'm sure it will surprise you to learn that the half ounce of gold in this coin, in the muggle world, is actually worth over two hundred British pounds. The vast discrepancy between the price of gold and silver in the magical and muggle worlds, or rather between the goblin nation and _all _humans, is the fact that goblins, like the dwarves, can easily find and reach rich veins of gold and silver in areas that are too deep and too hazardous for muggle technology and human magic to locate."

"While surprising, I don't quite see the relevance. Magical currency can not be spent, traded or even given away in the muggle world."

"True, so if you wish to take advantage of the situation you must first get around the numerous magical protections Gringotts places on every coin they issue."

"ARE YOU SAYING THAT YOUR FATHER CHEATED GRINGOTTS?" She shouted in shock. According to her information, Aleksander Krum made his fortune several years ago, how in the name of Merlin had he been able to avoid the Goblins for so long?

"Tsk, tsk, tsk. Cheat is such an ugly word. I like to believe that he out thought them. While it took him years to work out all the protection charms, it was well worth it. He melted down just about every galleon and sickle he had, separated the gold and silver from everything else and then sold the pure metal in the muggle world. After selling it all off, he took all his muggle money to different branches of Gringotts under many different names and converted it all. He did the whole process three times before the goblins caught on and put a stop to it."

"How has he remained alive after being caught?" She asked in shock but she was also impressed by the man's audacity.

"While this was a serious transgression to their way of thinking, the only thing my father was guilty of under goblin law was defacing Gringotts' property, and that, while punished severely, does not warrant a death sentence. So, my father took advantage of this situation as well and actually charged the goblins a hefty price for the information on what he did and how."

"And they paid? What was to stop them from confiscating every once of gold he had?"

"Ah, if they did that, what was to stop my parents from telling others how he did it?" Fedor asked with a smirk. "The goblins thought it was in their best interest to simply pay him off. It was also rather strongly worded that no information regarding the matter was to get out, for obvious reasons. They couldn't very well allow it to become common knowledge that a mere human got the better of them."

"What else are the goblins getting out of this deal, I cannot believe that they would simply let that much gold slip through their fingers just to save face?"

"What any sharp minded creature would seek under such circumstances, a business arrangement. For the most part, goblins have had no political or economic ties with the muggle world, it was deemed as a useless venture, besides they couldn't exactly show up to board meetings and giving a human the power to make decisions on their behalf was out of the question. Due to my father's activities in the gold market, he had to set up a dummy mining corporation in the muggle world to hide where it was all really coming from. Though he is no longer _cheating _the goblins, as you put it, this corporation is still intact, giving the goblins the perfect front to do business in the muggle world. My father gets a commission of one half of a percent of the total profits and the goblins keep the rest. From what I understand, it has been a very lucrative arrangement. They're making hand over fist and are using that money to buy out the mining for other companies as well, giving them access to deposits that were previously unavailable to them due to another's claim or the fact that they wouldn't be able to hide the face that the mine workers were goblins from the local muggles. The only real set back for them is making sure that they don't flood the market with too much gold too fast since it would no doubt cause the value to drop."

"According to my information, you father owns and operates a consulting firm, not a mining outfit?"

"He does. That is his primary business in the magical world, which he started up with his initial, um, _investment _from Gringotts. The Regency Mining Corporation, though being the 'middle man' for the goblins, operates solely in the muggle world." After finishing his explanation, he dropped the privacy wards and the questioning continued. It was almost ten o'clock by the time they were finally finished. Madam Bones assured him that she would speak with Sirius as well as contacting the Bulgarian Ministry about arranging for his father to come at his earliest convenience so that he may give his side of the story.

Right after he was led out of the office by a young and fairly attractive Auror named Hestia Jones, Madam Bones rounded on James Potter and told him in no uncertain terms that his suspension had just been lifted only to officially inform him that his contract with the department had been terminated for knowingly withholding important information regarding a criminal investigation for his own benefit. While she could understand that this was deeply personal to him, she had always, and always will, hold her Aurors to a higher standard.

XXX

By the time he had made it back to Hogwarts, Fedor was exhausted. It wasn't that late, but his meeting with Madam Bones had taken a lot out of him mentally and emotionally. He thought that it had gone fairly well but he would not be able to relax until after his father had met with Bones. Since you must either give your consent or have a court order, it was unusual to use Veritaserum this early in an investigation, he was still extremely nervous that because of the obvious public and political interest that would be paid to this case, they would wave the normal procedures.

When he made his way aboard the Durmstrang ship, he was not surprised to find both Anna and Viktor waiting for him but was not prepared to find his mother there as well and he was immensely grateful that there were no other students on deck. He had always believed that his mother was a beautiful woman. She was a slim figured woman with dark reddish brown hair that she always had styled in the latest fashions, and crystal blue eyes that, at times, seemed to pierce straight into your soul. With her creamy complexion and aristocratic features, she was sure to garner a great deal of attention from the opposite sex, but he was taken by surprise by the reaction of his fellow students the first time she visited Durmstrang after he began his 'formal' education. It was remarkable how many beatings it took for him and Viktor to get the point across that tactless comments would not be appreciated.

"_Mother, what are you going here?"_ Fedor asked in confusion. Not that he wasn't glad to see her, of course, but even if someone had contacted her immediately he didn't think she would have had the time to make the necessary arrangements to get to England so quickly. And if she had, why would she go to Hogwarts and not the Ministry.

"_I was conducting a meeting with Alan Cummings and Rita Skeeter concerning your next interview when Anna's message arrived that you'd been taken to the Ministry." _Ah, so that explained it. She was already in the country. He just grunted at the mention of his future 'interrogation'. He didn't like reporters much. _"Your father has already contacted Madam Bones and assured her that he will arrive within the hour with his attorney. I'm not particularly sure that she will appreciate the late night she is in for but we thought it best that he speak to her before The Daily Prophet announces your 'return'."_

"_She may not be as upset about the hour as you might think." _He took a few minutes to fill his family in on the goings on of his meeting. While it wasn't spectacular, it was probably the best overall outcome they could have had.

"_I got the distinct impression that this evening was probably one of the most interesting she's had had in a while. Dad showing up not long after I left will hopefully make things go smoother, as long as Potter is gone before he gets there. She tried to hide it, but I could see that her respect for him grew after I finished explaining his business with the goblins."_

"_I can understand that. By all accounts, she is a very sharp minded and cunning woman and it often takes a great deal of cunning to get your own money from a goblin much less theirs."_

"_So, why are you here and not at the Ministry waiting for dad to arrive?" _Fedor asked with some concern.

"_We thought it best that he does this on his own. But not to worry, if things go wrong, he has a portkey to take him to safety. He will send me a messenger spell when he is finished." _Olivia reassured him, knowing full well what he was thinking. She didn't like the idea of him going alone either but it was for the best.

"_Do I even want to know who you managed to convince that it was good idea to give it to you?" _Victor asked with no small amount of sarcasm. To get a portkey that worked inside the Ministry itself meant that it was made by someone fairly high up that could key it into the wards.

"_Of course you want to know." She responded with a smile. "But sadly, you will have to live without that information for the time being." _

As they waited, Victor and Anna had a bit of fun by telling them how everything had 'exploded' after Fedor had been taken away. As he figured, most of the Durmstrang students didn't really seem to care much, even those from darker families. Voldemort, while terrorizing England, wasn't really big news in Eastern Europe where dozens like him sprouted up in the same general time frame, a product of Soviet rule. Those that _would_ normally care about his relationship with the The-Boy-Who-Lived, shrugged it off as well. It was perfectly obvious what he thought of his former family and whether they liked him, hated him, or were indifferent to him, they felt that he earned his place among them.

The Beauxbatons students were a different matter entirely. France, Spain, Holland and Belgium were hit hard by Voldemort's Death Eaters as well, though not as much as England, so it was understandable that they would share nearly the same level of shock as the Hogwarts students seemed to be going through. As is normal when you get more than one person together and drop a bomb like that, it didn't take long for people to begin speculating about how he had survived, how he came to be raised by the Krums and, most importantly, if he was indeed Harry Potter, was he really The-Boy-Who-Lived, not Allen Potter.

Due to their much more personal experiences with the Potters and the media blitz that had been assaulting them all their lives concerning the family, it took the Hogwarts students a little longer to shake off their shock. But, like their western European guests, they were quick to start going through every possible theory they could conceive. It was at this time that Allen Potter finally came out of his daze. Seeing the unsurprised and pleased look on Dumbledore's face, showing that he had previous knowledge, and hearing his rightful title, The-Boy-Who-Lived, being used with someone else's name caused him to snap.

What little support he had within Hogwarts seemed to melt away immediately as he began screaming that he defeated Voldemort on his own and that Harry Potter was dead. He was dead because he was too weak to handle all the magic that _HIS _body was producing. While that had been the general theory for well over a decade, no one, least of all a member of the Potter family, had had the unmitigated gall to actually say it out loud. The way he shouted it as he did, spoke volumes and even if he didn't mean for it to appear that way, it seemed to everyone present that he was actually _glad _that there was no one else to share the spotlight with him, even if it had come at the price of his twin brother's life.

Even Lavender Brown and Seamus Finnegan were looking at him with wide, shocked eyes. Though whether it was because of what he said or the fact that he shouted it in the middle of the Great hall was unknown, nor did anyone notice or care. Obviously realizing that he had made a serious mistake, Allen was quick to make his exit.

Viktor and Anna could almost feel sorry for the kid as he ran out of the hall. The way this was sprung on him as it was couldn't be doing him any good. You would think that his parents or Dumbledore would have given him a bit of advanced warning but it would seem that they were too caught up in their own plans to think about such things.

It was nearly four in the morning when a messenger spell arrived in the form of Aleksander's _Patronus, _a Cerberus, causing their mother to heave a heavy sigh, as if a great weight had just been lifted off her chest.

"_He's just fine. His meeting went fairly well and he's on his way to a hotel."_ The three students nodded silently, none bothering to hide their relief. _"Now, it has been an exceptionally long day, so I suggest that you all get your rest. It is sure to be rather chaotic around here for some time to come, especially for you, Fedor."_ They just nodded and after bidding their mother, or aunt in Anna's case, goodbye, they made their way below deck to get some sleep.

Later that day as they pulled themselves out of bed just in time to get to lunch, Olivia's word proved correct, not that they expected anything else. Once they walked into the Great Hall, silence fell like a plague as everyone stopped what they were doing to stare at Fedor in silence. He did his best to ignore the attention but it was a bit difficult with more than a thousand pairs of eyes boring into him.

Everyone followed his movement to the Hufflepuff table where he sat down between Artemis Portokalos and Auto Gerlach. His two friends merely nodded at him before returning to their lunch. Across the table however, Cedric and a few others were staring at him. It could have been the fact that he was no longer wearing his glamour charmed pendant but he wasn't too hopeful about that. While it was certainly part of it, the primary reason was surely that he looked very much like one of their fellow Hogwarts' students and the fact that the night before a group of Aurors had claimed that he was Harry Potter, someone they had all thought had died thirteen years ago.

"Erm, did they already know about your, um…" Not quite sure how to voice his question about the Durmstrang students' nonchalance about the situation, Cedric lapsed into an uncomfortable silence.

"No, they didn't. They just don't care. Voldemort didn't have nearly the impact in their home countries as he did here or in France so by extension, the Potter name doesn't mean much to them. Most thought there was something my family was hiding about me and I suspect that the truth didn't live up to their expectations. Adoption isn't really a big deal, after all."

"So nobody knew until last night?" Amber asked.

"No, Fleur figured it out but chose to keep it to herself because she thought it would be amusing. From what Viktor and Anna told me, I'm sure she got quite a laugh."

"Yes, it was quite chaotic." After thinking for a moment, he decided to just get the question out of the way. "How did you survive, much less end up with the Krums?"

"I take it _The Daily Prophet _hasn't arrived yet?"

"Um, no it hasn't, as a matter of fact." Amber spoke up in confusion. "It usually gets here during breakfast."

"Well, reporters are a nosy bunch. They're probably waiting for as much information as they can scrounge together before printing. Much easier than waiting for tomorrow to break news that they could have done today."

"I suppose…"

"**KRUM!" **This interruption wasn't altogether unexpected but Fedor was hoping it wouldn't happen until after the newspaper arrived. It would certainly have made it more interesting.

"Potter, what can I do for you?" He asked in a patronizing tone as he turned around. This time, he had come alone instead of dragging his two usual stooges along with him.

"I don't know what you think you are doing, but you better stop or I'll make you regret it."

"Really? I'm curious to know how you think you are capable of making me regret anything."

"You are **NOT** Harry Potter!" Allen chose to move on instead of getting into a debate over who had the most skill.

"Finally, we agree on something. If I had the misfortune to be raised alongside you, I hope that I would have had the good sense to have killed myself long ago. Who knows, since you are so sure, maybe you can convince your idiot parents to leave me alone. Though I do find it rather sad that your parents are going through all this trouble to get their hands on me and they didn't even see fit to let you know. So sad." He sighed in mock sympathy before turning back to his lunch. Allen sucked in a deep breath, presumably to continue the current 'discussion', when a loud screech attracted everyone's attention as a large flock of owls flew into the hall and began dropping copies of _The Daily Prophet _to its subscribers.

Unfolding his copy, Fedor felt a large smile spread across his face as he looked at the front page. It was split in two down the middle with dual headlines. He scanned through the article on the right entitled, _Fedor Krum: The-Boy-Who-Lived? _

It basically just announced that he was Harry Potter, how he had survived, how he was 'saved' from Amycus Carrow and came to be raised by the Krums in Bulgaria and why they hid his identity when it was discovered. Finished off with the 'interviews' Madam Bones had with him, his father and Sirius. After looking into the matter it was determined that no criminal charges would be brought unless evidence contradicting their story was found but since the Carrows were the only ones that could rebuff their story it was highly unlikely that would happen since they were both dead. Despite this ruling James and Lily Potter were expected to bring the case before the Wizengamot to regain custody of _their _son, even though Fedor had made it perfectly clear that he wanted nothing to do with them.

Over all, the article was pretty good and would certainly serve its purpose. The reaction among the students was pretty much what he had suspected. Absolute silence reigned as they were enraptured with the story, going over every word on the front page and its three corresponding pages making sure they didn't overlook anything. Seeing this reaction, Potter reached over to the Ravenclaw table from where he was standing and snatched a copy out of the hand of Lisa Turpin, a fourth year classmate of his. His eyes were wide from the first word and his face began cycling through many different hues as many different emotions fought for dominance.

Finishing this first article, Fedor moved over to the second headline. This was the one he really wanted to see the reaction to, not necessarily from the student and teachers, they already knew most of it, but he was looking forward to seeing how the general public reacted. No doubt, there would be some that would refuse to believe it even if they witnessed it for themselves but most would believe every word. It was in the news, after all, it must be true. This one was much more entertaining, written by Rita Skeeter under an assumed name and the use of polyjuice to protect her rather inconspicuous way of digging up information.

_ALLEN POTTER: HERO OR CRIMINAL _

_By Abigail Pleasance _

_As we here at The Daily Prophet struggle to rebuild our reputation, we have been forced to reveal many stories that certain respected members of our society have worked hard to keep hidden and many of our readers would prefer we kept to ourselves. While we will try not to venture into the realm of hearsay and rumor disguised as fact any longer, many will claim that this particular story is precisely that despite the overwhelming evidence that is available to anyone willing to look for it._

_I am, in fact, referring to the young man we have held to be our hero for thirteen years now, and the facts revolving around this young man that his parents and Headmaster Dumbledore have exercised a great deal of effort, and a great deal of galleons, to keep hidden from the public eye._

_While at Hogwarts to interview the four Tri-Wizard Champions, Daily Prophet columnist, Rita Skeeter found the student body to be rather cool towards their youngest representative in this tournament. An attitude that seemed a little extreme for a simple matter of cheating to be selected. Even his Gryffindor housemates were more than happy to support Hufflepuff student, Cedric Diggory, over one of their own. Curious as to the reasons behind the cold reception for young Mr. Potter, I decided to do a little investigating of my own and what I found was both shocking and down right disgusting._

_Far from being the humble, talented and compassionate savior Headmaster Dumbledore and the Potters want us to believe, I've found him to be arrogant, disrespectful and has a penchant for assaulting his fellow students._

_For the last week and a half, I have been randomly interviewing Hogwarts students concerning young Mr. Potter's activities and their statements left me speechless. Many of them had either been targets of Potter in the past or had witnessed his excess bullying of others first hand. According to these witnesses, Potter seems to enjoy cornering lone students with his friends Seamus Finnegan and Lavender Brown to harass them and rough them up, often requiring these children to spend time in the hospital wing._

_Every student I interviewed explained that they, and many others had filed complaints with their Head of House but nothing ever came of it with the exception of a few detentions. The only Hogwarts professor that would speak of the matter was Hufflepuff Head and herbology professor, Pomona Sprout, who showed no restraint in expressing her anger towards Headmaster Dumbledore in dealing with the situation. Professor Sprout gave us copies of the twelve official requests for disciplinary action that she submitted with Dumbledore over the last two years, claiming that each of the other three heads of house had done the same several times as well. Once again, nothing ever came of it._

_What is not widely known, is that when it comes to disciplining a student beyond that of a mere detention, it is the Board of Governors that is responsible for issuing punishment, such as suspension or expulsion. The only problem with this system is that all complaints to the Board must be submitted through Headmaster Dumbledore. According to Augusta Longbottom, Chairman of the Board, they have not received any complaints about Potter from Dumbledore, including the twelve that Professor Sprout herself submitted._

_Why does Headmaster Dumbledore show Potter such latitude? Why was he, and the Potters, paying employees of this publication to write favorable articles about him and most importantly, why is he so content with ignoring the wellbeing of his other nine hundred students?_

The article continued for another page and a half. There was certainly no flattery for Dumbledore or any member of the Potter family. Most students, apart from glaring daggers at Dumbledore for his cover ups, were also hopeful that something might actually change but they weren't going to hold their breath.

At the head table, Dumbledore was glaring at Professor Sprout who was looking completely unrepentant, in fact, she looked rather pleased. Snape didn't seem to care while all the other Hogwarts professors were looking quite shocked. McGonagall, however, was looking distinctly uncomfortable as she tried to go unnoticed.

"I always love a good news day." Fedor said happily as he stood up from the table, planning on making a visit to the library. When he was halfway to the door, he had a sudden feeling of déjà vu as he spun around with his wand drawn, blocking an incoming _bone breaking_ curse.

"**This is all your fault, YOU did this!"** Potter screamed in rage, completely forgetting that he was way outclassed. Tilting his head to the side, Fedor surveyed his _twin _with a look of mild curiosity on his face before flicking his wand casually, sending Potter flying backwards spinning through the air to land painfully on the floor fifteen feet back from where he started. As Fedor marched towards him with an unreadable look on his face, Dumbledore stood up and drew his wand, intending to stop any further violence. Unfortunately, as soon as he did this, every Durmstrang student in the hall, even the ones that had chosen to sit at the Slytherin table, stood as well, aiming their wands directly at Dumbledore's heart.

"I would advise you not to interfere, Headmaster. That curse Potter used was aimed at my brother's head, and could have easily killed him if it wasn't blocked. If you don't want your golden boy arrested for attempted murder, you best sit down right now." Viktor growled loudly.

Fedor paid no attention to this as he reached the dazed Gryffindor. He reached down and picked up Potter's wand and after looking at it critically for a moment, he snapped it in two causing a low echo of phoenix song as its phoenix feather core incinerated itself after being damaged. Most people within the hall gasped. Breaking a wizard's wand was considered the worst insult you could give. Potter had come to his senses just in time to see his wand broken and his rage returned ten fold. He made to pull himself up off the floor but Fedor easily held him down with his boot planted firmly on his chest.

"I warned you never to raise your wand to me again. Was I not clear or are you really stupid enough to believe that that was a mere threat?" Potter's anger was quickly giving way to fear but he didn't have much time to think about Krum's words before he pointed his wand and cast a shattering curse at both of his hands. The scream that escaped his lips as every bone in his hands were shattered made everyone in the hall jump and cover their ears.

"This is your final warning, Potter." With those parting words, Fedor stalked out of the Great Hall to make his way to the library.

Twenty minutes later, the Hogwarts professors were gathered in the staffroom for an impromptu staff meeting. Dumbledore was standing at the head of a long conference table with a very annoyed look on his face. Of the other sixteen professors present, the only ones not looking put out were Sprout and McGonagall who looked no different than they did twenty minutes ago. Dumbledore had spent the last ten minutes berating Professor Sprout about chain of command and speaking to the press without his consent. This tirade wasn't helping his position any with those that were angry that their complaints had simply been cast aside instead of being passed on to the Board of Governors as they should have been.

"It is important for the boy to get an education. We simply cannot expel a student when we can do more to help them here." He maintained after it was made clear that Sprout would not back away from her belief that her actions were for the best.

"Really, Albus. As I recall, you had no problem having the Board expel Roger Davies after he assaulted Mr. Potter at the end of last year. And why did he do it? Because not two hours before, Potter tried playing a prank on a group of Ravenclaw second years, resulting in his cousin Emily being admitted into the hospital wing for ten days. If I remember correctly, Mr. Potter went unpunished for those actions as well." Flitwick spoke up in anger. He may be small, and his voice may sound a bit ridiculous with such an emotion but only a fool would take him lightly.

"Filius, please. Mr. Potter…"

"SHUT UP, MINERVA!" Sprout shouted. "You disgust me more that Albus. You are sworn to look out for the best interests of your students and you stand by and do nothing. The younger members of your house have to resort to coming to Filius or myself with any problems because you seem to have made it quite clear that despite your assurances to them, no actions will be taken when they become Potter's target. Now you sit here and seem to agree with Albus about seeking criminal punishment against Pott… Krum when he was merely responding to an attack that would have killed him. So Potter has two broken hands, big deal, he'll heal and with luck he's learned a lesson."

"As Deputy Headmistress, my responsibilities don't allow me the time to show the attention to my students that the rest of you are capable of. As for Mr. Krum…"

"Lets face it, Minerva." Trelawney sneered. McGonagall, for her part, was in shock. The batty bint actually sneered. At her. "The only reason Albus made you Deputy Headmistress was because you are the perfect little drone. You can be trusted to handle most matters concerning the students while he's off playing with his little _Ministry Toys_ but any time that he makes a decision that you feel is wrong all he has to do is give you that pitiful wise old man look of his and you fall back in line no matter what your concerns may be. Though I am curious, just how long have you known that he was simply throwing away our students' complaints?"

"Sybil, I have never, and will never, tolerate such disrespect being shown to another professor!" Dumbledore spoke up firmly as he glared at the Divination professor, expecting her to be cowed. He was quite surprised when she merely turned her sneer onto him.

"You have that backwards, Albus. You have always tolerated disrespect, as long as you were the one showing it. You have the nerve to discard official reports as you see fit and allow that worthless punk free reign over this school because you seem to have a purpose for him. Not to mention all of your meddling within the Ministry. Have you always been this corrupt or are you simply growing senile in your old age?" Dumbledore looked ready to really get going when Fawkes appeared in a flash of crimson fire and settled on his shoulder, seeming to calm him.

"A masterful performance, Albus. But don't think for one moment that your little avian clone has me fooled, unlike most, I know what he is." As everyone but Hagrid and Flitwick looked at her in confusion, Trelawney glared at the Headmaster for a moment longer before turning back to McGonagall. "I'll give you two weeks, Minerva. Since you seem to have misplaced it long ago, you have until then to find and retrieve your backbone. If not, I will pay a visit to the Board of Governors myself and suggest that it is time a new Head of Gryffindor was found."

"YOU CAN'T DO THAT!"

"Actually, I can. It is her responsibility to ensure the students in Gryffindor can live, study and socialize in a safe, nurturing environment. She has failed in all three tasks. By the school's charter, while it is the Headmaster's responsibility to find suitable professors, it is the Board that is to appoint suitable candidates for Headmaster and the Heads of House, only one of many duties you have assumed for them over the years. After reading today's _Prophet, _and the public outrage that is sure to follow, I'm sure they will begin assuming these duties once again. And, Albus. I'd be careful if I were you, you may think you are a necessity to our world but I'm sure you understand that if it is a choice between indulging an old man and their children's safety, the public may very well demand that a new Headmaster be appointed."

XXX

After listening in to the staff meeting through one of their many listening charms, Viktor nearly charged into the library to pitch his idea for the first task to his little brother. While he was sure Fedor could do it on his own with no help from him, they wanted to find something that would suitably surprise the crowd and so he was helping to find something to get passed a dragon beyond the normal stealth or violent confrontation. Well, maybe a little violence.

Spotting him in the magical creatures section, he made his way over and grabbed him by the arm to pull him outside. The fact that Viktor was bigger, stronger and more skilled in unarmed combat, left Fedor with no choice but to fight dirty which was why he chose to jam his thumb into the side of his brother's neck. The tight grasp on his arm disappeared as Viktor let go to instinctively cover the painful area. He glared at Fedor as he massaged the muscles with the tips of his fingers.

"_What the hell are you doing, trying to drag me off like that?"_ Fedor didn't like people sneaking up on him and he certainly didn't like being manhandled, which was probably why Viktor made a point to do it as often as possible. In an instant, Viktor forgot all about his painful neck and grabbed his brother's arm again, this time successful in escaping the library. Once they reached the ship, he was pulled below deck and was flung into Viktor's cabin.

"_You want to put WHAT on me?" _Fedor demanded incredulously as Viktor held up the small vial he had retrieved from his small desk.

"_Come on, you wanted something that would stump the crowd, this is it!"_

"_But its PISS!"_

"_Well, not just piss."_

"_What else?"_

"_I used some of the hormone we collected from that Ridgeback we killed this summer, so…"_

"_So now we have the bottled sent of a rabid dragon."_ Fedor put two and two together but he still didn't like the idea, who would, and he could see a flaw in his brother's reasoning.

"_While that may scare off most dragons under normal circumstances, what if I get stuck with an Ironbelly or even a Horntail, they certainly wouldn't be frightened of a Ridgeback whether it was rabid or not."_

"_Ah, but this, um, sample, didn't come from a Ridgeback, it came from a large, mature Horntail. When combined with the hormone, you get a rabid Horntail."_ Viktor explained with a slight smirk. Though he was disgusted at the very thought, Fedor couldn't deny that this was a good tactic. Making it appear that he could scare a dragon would certainly be interesting to say the least. Wordlessly ceding the point, Fedor left to return to the library, he really needed to find a way to unobtrusively block the smell, both from him and anyone that may be near him.

The next week and a half passed in a blur for just about everyone in Great Britain. The articles _The Daily Prophet _ran about both Fedor and Allen Potter caused an uproar in the magical community, whether it was because of Potter's bullying, Dumbledore's apparent complicity in such actions or the outspoken belief that Fedor should either be left alone or be returned to his rightful family. Because of the recent bad press the Potter family had been receiving, the outcry for him to be retuned wasn't nearly as loud as it would have been just a few short months before and with luck, by the time the matter came before the Wizengamot, these demands would have all but disappeared.

Understandably, it was within Hogwarts that the most friction was felt. Professor Trelawney's prediction became very real when the Board of Governors, at he behest of a newly established parents group, placed Dumbledore on a type of administrative probation as they watched over everything going on within the school with a sharp, watchful eye. Almost every decision he had made was being reviewed with a fine toothed comb and many were amended or outright reversed. One such decision was the expulsion of Roger Davies but he outright refused to return to Hogwarts, choosing instead to take the position offered to him at the Oxford institute, the magical branch of the world renowned university. While much smaller than Hogwarts, their standards were a little higher and they didn't put up with nearly as much foolishness.

While no one really wanted Dumbledore removed as Headmaster, most were pleased that he would no longer be given free reign to do as he pleased. But he was by no means the only Hogwarts staff member to be subjected to such scrutiny. Professor Snape was under almost constant watch due to his undisguised bias against students outside of Slytherin and Professor McGonagall for her lack of good judgment when dealing with Potter's and Dumbledore's actions. With Dumbledore's secretive nature with anything concerning Potter, it was her responsibility as Deputy Headmistress to bring the situation to the Board's attention. She failed to do so, allowing the situation to worsen. They were not particularly pleased that they had to learn about the extent of the problem by reading about it all over the front page of _The Prophet_. Madam Longbottom made it perfectly clear that their positions has head of Gryffindor and Slytherin were in very real danger if they could not take their responsibilities seriously.

Allen Potter, for his part, stayed as far away from Fedor as he possibly could. Madam Pomfrey had spent several hours trying to piece the bones in his hands back together again, a rather painful process, before giving up and simply removed them before giving him a dose of Skele-Gro. He was released from the hospital wing the following afternoon but his hands were shaking quite noticeably for several days afterwards, an occurrence that still often flared up again each time he saw Fedor nearby. It took him a bit longer than Malfoy but he seemed to have finally learned his place.

When he had first heard what had happened to his son, James Potter had stormed onto the Hogwarts grounds with his face looking as grim as a thunder cloud. Once he spotted Fedor going through his evening workout with Viktor and their friends, including both Cedric and Fleur, he stalked towards the group. Unfortunately, he found himself in the same position that Dumbledore himself had been in just a six hours earlier, with every Durmstrang student pointing their wands directly at him. Proving that he had at least some intelligence, he turned around and marched up to the castle to demand answers from Dumbledore.

The following day, the Potters formally petitioned the Wizengamot for a hearing to decide the custody of their son but much to their chagrin, after reviewing Madam Bones' report regarding the circumstances, they decided to postpone any hearings until after the New Year due to the upcoming first task of the tournament and the approaching Christmas holidays. A ten member panel would convene on January third to view any evidence and hear testimony from the parties involved.

Before they knew it, November 24 was upon them and the school was buzzing with excitement. Ministry officials, foreign dignitaries, parents and other guests had been arriving steadily for three hours before the four champions were mounted on brooms and escorted to the far side of the lake where a large tent had been erected on the edge of the forest. From their position, they could easily see the stands rising high out from the trees but they were unable to see what they were surrounding. The deafening sounds of the crowd could not be overlooked as they moved around and spoke excitedly to those near them. Judging by the sheer volume, it was obvious that the 'arena' was much larger and was capable of holding more people than it appeared from their vantage point.

Upon entering the tent, Fedor was surprised to see not only his parents, Viktor, Anna and a few friends. But his aunt and uncle, Sophia and Carmine Valavicius, their youngest daughter, Bellina were also there. The biggest surprise, however, was the presence of his great-grandfather, Romulus Valavicius. He was currently under the effects of polyjuice potion but the way he moved and the look in his eyes instantly gave him away to anyone that knew him well.

He was waiting for the first task to begin, visiting with his family and close friends, when the Potters and Remus Lupin entered and headed straight for Allen. They were there for only a few brief moments when they caught sight of the Krums and James made to approach them. Lupin tried to hold him back but Potter shrugged him off. Fedor idly wondered if anyone in that family was capable of holding their temper in check. Maybe there was something in the water?

Once he reached the group, he didn't even have time to get one word in when, once again, he suddenly had half a dozen wands were pointed directly at his heart. Everyone else in their group were covering his wife and Lupin. The rest of the tent's occupants were looking on with varying degrees of nervousness showing on their faces. Even someone as hardheaded as Potter could easily understand _that _message. He wisely chose to wait for his day in court before moving his family to the other side of the tent. Really, one would think the man would have learned by now but he was obviously just as foolish as his son.

While they waited, the Krums and Valavicius' were briefly introduced to Mr. and Mrs. Diggory as well as Fleur's parents and little sister Gabrielle. Cedric's parents seemed nice enough but it was Fleur's that captured Fedor's attention. Apart from her full-blooded veela mother, her father Fache, held most of his attention. He was probably in his mid forties with raven black hair and his features seemed nearly perfect. If it wasn't for the fact that he was well muscled, one might be able to describe him as pretty. As it stood, he seemed to almost be the Olympian ideal of what a man should be. That alone seemed unnatural to him. Another aspect he was able to pick up on was the sense of magic around him. Not an overpowering feeling you get when around someone of great power, but more like the feeling of being in the presence of a vampire or even a goblin. It was strange really.

All to soon, as most of the people in this tent were concerned any way, Ludo Bagman entered and announced that everyone apart from the four champions were to make their way to their seats. After another brief round of words of encouragement, everyone began filing out, the Potters and Krums glaring at each other the entire way.

"Alright," Bagman began after the last person had left. "In this bag are four models of the, um, thing, you will be facing and each will have a number, marking the order in which you will compete. The object of this task will be to collect the golden egg. How you accomplish this is entirely up to you. Now, ladies first, so, Ms. Delacour, if you will?" Fleur took a deep breath and let it out slowly as she reached into the bag. A few brief moments later, she pulled with her hand clutched around a small animated model of a Chinese Fireball. On its side, a number three stood out against its scarlet scales.

Next was Cedric. He had the misfortune of drawing number one, the fact that it was painted on the side of a Peruvian Vipertooth didn't help matters any. While both the Vipertooth and the Fireball were among the smalls of dragon breeds, reaching only fifteen to twenty feet in length, they were also among the fastest and most aggressive and their preference for human flesh was well known.

Fedor truly didn't know whether to be discouraged or ecstatic about competing second after choosing the Hungarian Horntail. On one hand, they were the most dangerous and most powerful dragons in the world but on the other hand, _they were the most dangerous and the most powerful dragons in the world! _It would be quite a challenge. They were fiercely territorial, especially where their nests were concerned so his 'Plan A' may very well prove to be inefficient by itself. But it will certainly be a challenge and that was what he was originally discouraged about this Tournament, he didn't think he would find a great enough challenge.

This, of course, left Potter going last. Much to everyone's, even Bagman's, disgust, the dragon he was stuck with was a Welsh Green. How in the nine levels of hell did they put a Welsh Green in the same competition as a Horntail, Vipertooth and Fireball. All three were fierce 'man eaters' while the Green, though still very dangerous, was pretty much the fat, lazy lapdog of dragons.

"Now that you have all selected your dragons through random selection, the task will begin momentarily. While in this tent, charms are in place to ensure that you can hear nothing going on outside. The only exception is when you are announced. This is to make sure that you cannot discern how your fellow champions have completed their task, thereby giving those coming later the advantage."

"Are we allowed to kill it?" Fedor asked suddenly with a large grin, drawing everyone's attention to him.

"What?" Bagman asked in confusion.

"Are we allowed to kill the dragon?" He asked again slowly.

"Um, well I, I'm not sure." Bagman seemed a bit flustered by the question as he looked at the Durmstrang champion oddly. "Mr. Diggory, you will be called out in a few minutes, good luck." With those parting words, Bagman left the tent after throwing a wink a Fedor, causing the boy to roll his eyes. Really, these English were so ridiculous.

The next few minutes were spent in silence as each was lost in their own thoughts. Cedric spent the time pacing back and forth as he mumbled to himself quietly, probably going over every spell he knew that could help him in this situation. Fleur, though keeping still, didn't look nearly as confidant as she did just minutes before and Potter was looking quite pale and was sitting off to the side fidgeting nervously.

Fedor for the most part was able to keep himself perfectly calm. He had been in this type of situation before. Granted he had Viktor or someone else with him each time but also those were in uncontrolled environments, where death was a very real possibility. While he was certain someone could conceivably get killed today, it was unlikely. They have many safety precautions in place just in case one of the champions is not up for the challenge.

In no time at all, Cedric's name echoed through the tent and with one last deep breath he stepped outside. Having nothing better to do while they waited, Fleur decided that it was best to keep her mind occupied until her name was call and went to sit with Fedor.

"_Tell me, Fedor, do you really intend to kill your dragon?" _She asked in French. Potter was watching them with a snarl on his lips but they paid him no attention.

"_Of course not."_

"_Then why ask the question?"_

"_I wanted to see how everyone would react. Cedric knows, and I'm sure you do, that competition is about getting inside your opponents head as much as defeating them with skill. When I asked, Cedric looked at me oddly but didn't really take me seriously, I suspect that he knew why I asked. You were merely curious if that was indeed my intention, but, it completely threw Potter off guard. He truly believes that that is what I intend to do. He's no doubt been spending the last five minutes trying to come up with an approach that would be more 'heroic' than killing a dragon._

"_I also noticed that while you and Cedric are a bit concerned about this task, neither of you were as worried as you made it appear. Probably for the same reason I asked that question, you wanted to throw the others off a bit. Make the rest of us think that you weren't as prepared as you should have been."_

"_**And now, representing Durmstrang Institute, Harry James Potter!"**_

"_I do have a question for you, though." Fedor said, completely ignoring his introduction. "I don't mean to sound rude or anything, but what exactly is your father?" _Fleur looked at him in surprise. She didn't quite know how to take that question.

"_What do you mean?"_

"_Well, I get this feeling when I'm near him. He doesn't seem human but neither is he a werewolf or a vampire, though the magic feels similar to a vampire." _

"_He is a veela." _She said as if it were the obvious. It was now Fedor's turn to look surprised.

"_I didn't know there were male veela."_

"_Where did you think veela children came from?"_

"_I don't mean that. I meant that I thought the veela were a matriarchal society, much like the Dryads. You know, all female and all their children with humans are female_." Fleur laughed a bit and Fedor once again ignored Ludo Bagman calling him out.

"_No, there are male veela but it is rare for one to be born with full access to their powers. My father is a dormant veela."_

"_Is that like a squib?"_

"_Same concept though they are not shunned as squibs are shunned by many wizards. Though both my parents are veela, my sister and I are considered to be only half veela since our father is dormant, some of that has passed on to us, leaving us unable to access part of our power unless under extreme stress."_

"_So your children will more than likely only have access to a twenty five percent of their potential power if you were to marry a dormant veela, or even a human?"_

"_No. The veela bloodline would always be dominant in female children no matter who the father was, making them at least half veela and though they are dormant, a male will still pass on the characteristics to his children. But like wizards and witches, it is also possible for a child to grow to be more powerful than their parents, so it is possible that my children and those of my sister could have full access to their powers."_

"_I guess that makes sense." _Fedor responded with uncertainty. Though intelligent, he was by no means an expert in genetics though he did understand the basic idea.It was at this time that Percy Weasley, assistant to Barty Crouch, stepped into the tent with an annoyed and condescending look about him.

"Mr. Potter, it is time for…"

"If you people continue to use that name, you will find today's task… _unfulfilled._"He was really getting tired of repeating himself. Was it really so hard for people to remember. Percy couldn't help but feel flustered under the younger boy's scrutiny. There was just something about his eyes that really unnerved him.

"Oh, um, yes, of course." Fedor and Fleur was watched the Ministry aid retreat with amusement and began talking for a few more minutes before a more acceptable introduction was made.

"_**Ladies and Gentlemen, from Durmstrang Institute, Fedor Nicholai Krum." **_

"Ah, much better." He sighed in satisfaction as he stood. "Well, My Dear, it appears that now is the time to slay the foul beast, so I must leave you now." Fleur couldn't help but smile slightly as he took her hand and placed a light kiss across her knuckles. With a final nod, he walked out of the tent while whistling to himself.

Stepping outside, he found himself inside a large enclosure, or more descriptively, it was a huge rocky pit. The crowd of observers were seated in high stands that encircled the edge at ground level. The pit was about one hundred meters from side to side with plenty of large rocks jutting into the air to provide enough cover should, or rather when, you would need it. The Hungarian Horntail was crouched low to the ground on the other side, hovering over her clutch of eggs. Even from a distance of nearly a hundred meters, he could see that this dragon was very pissed off.

"_Hello, Sweetheart." _He muttered to himself with no small amount of excitement. Well, he wanted a challenge, and this would certainly give it to him. Maybe not physically or magically but mentally, it he was sure it would test his concentration, after all, he didn't have Viktor here to help him this time. For the first time since he learned of this tournament, he was actually glad that he was here. It certainly beat your average school day, that was for sure.

He could hear the deafening roar of the crowd, whether they be cheering or booing, but he was unable to hear the commentating that he knew was going on, for which he was immensely grateful. The last thing he needed at this time was to hear what Bagman thought of his performance. That was one thing he despised about the dueling circuit, announcers felt the need to critique their performance for the crowd while the fight was still going on. It could really get inside the head of an amateur as they tried to either prove them wrong or live up to their expectations.

Shaking his head briefly, he wasted no time and quickly cast a _flame freezing_ spell on himself while also casting a _Fauxly _shield. The air to his left shimmered for a moment before a transparent blue tinted shield formed and attached itself to his left arm. It was fairly large from top to bottom, about five and a half feet, and three feet across, but when combined with the _flame freezing_ charm, it would certainly go a long way to ensuring that he didn't get himself killed. With a wave of his wand, he released the hormones that were placed on his robes and had a hard time preventing himself from gagging. The stench was unbelievable but a quick charm on his nose fixed that, temporarily decreasing his sense of smell.

'Thank the gods for magic.' He cringed mentally. He had no doubt that _'Ode De Horntail' _would certainly not be flying off the shelves any time soon.

XXX

"_What is he doing?" _Olivia Krum demanded of Viktor as she nervously watched her youngest son walking straight towards the dragon without fear, occasionally weaving in and out of the larger rocks.

"_He's getting his egg." _Stating the obvious only earned him a glare in return before his mother turned back to the enclosure. Ludo Bagman questioning her son's mental stability at such a careless approach wasn't helping her any either. Fedor steadily made his way across the rocks and as he got closer the commentary suddenly changed to reflect the confusion of the more observant spectators.

"_**Charlie, you've spent a bit of time with each of these dragons since arriving in England, but more specifically, this Horntail as it comes from your own preserve, is this it's normal behavior or could the change in atmosphere be affecting it." **_Bagman asked, Charlie Weasley, his commentary partner for this task.

"_**No, this is certainly not normal and a simple change in scenery does not explain it. She is among the largest we have and is in perfect health but there seems to be something off here."**_

"_**Off, how?"**_

"_**I'm not sure, it's almost as if she is afraid."**_

"_**Afraid, of Krum?**_

"_**Well, not necessarily him. See the way she's casting her head back and forth instead of focusing solely on him. She's looking for a threat that she can either smell or otherwise sense."**_

"_**One of the other dragons, perhaps?"**_

"_**No, they would be no threat to a nesting Horntail. It's something else, and judging by his casual pace, I would say that whatever it is, is Fedor's doing."**_

"_**But if that's true than he was obviously prepared for this before hand." **_Barty Crouch spoke up from Bagman's other side.

"_**Don't be such a woman, Barty. Cheating is just as much a tradition of this tournament as anything else. I would be surprised if even one of the champions came out today without prior knowledge of what they would be facing."**_

XXX

As he got closer, Fedor couldn't help but smirk as the Dragon grew more and more jittery. He knew that it wouldn't be enough to get him through the task but the animal paying more attention to her surroundings than to him would certainly help a great deal.

When he was about thirty meters from his target, he climbed to the top of one for the larger rock standing about ten feet off the ground, he cast a concussion curse and immediately dropped back to the ground to get below the wave of magical energy. Being so large, the dragon didn't have this option even if she knew what he had done and as a result, she was pushed back a few feet but other than that it really only succeeded in making her slightly dizzy.

Momentarily forgetting the scent of her would be predatory, she turned her full attention to Fedor and let her displeasure be known as she sucked in as much air as she could before lowering her head to about ground level. Placing his shield firmly against the ground, he knelt behind it to give himself the maximum protection as the magically enhanced flames shot out of the dragon's mouth and rushed towards him at an unbelievable speed. Despite the use of both the shield and the _flame freezing _charm, the heat was almost unbearable and the stench, resembling something close to sulfur, nearly made him gag uncontrollably even with the use of the charm he placed on his nose before hand. Thankfully, as suddenly as it had started, it came to an end.

Having no intention of allowing this beast the time needed to work up another shot, he jumped back to a standing position and moved as close as he dared. From his right hand wand he cast a spell similar to the _flame whip _curse, the only difference being that instead of a long rope of intense fire, it was made out of crackling blue and white lightening. No matter how powerful the wizard, fire spells are mostly inefficient against dragons. Lightening, on the other hand…

With wide strokes, he snapped his whip around in high arches as they snapped with a thunderous clap and a searing heat against the tough hide of his opponent. Even those that didn't find their mark served their purpose as the dragon was slowly driven back, the smell of a another nearby Horntail and the crack of the whip temporarily driving away any instinct crying out for her to protecting her nest.

As she back up, Fedor steadily pressed his advantage, taking one step at a time and never letting up. The last thing he wanted to do was to get over confidant and lose his focus, he had no doubt that this beast would certainly kill him if the opportunity arose and he had no intention of giving it to her.

With just a few feet to go before reaching the nest, Fedor suddenly dropped both his shield and his _lightening wipe_ curse while simultaneously drawing his other wand. Attempting to seize the advantage, the dragon raised its head to the sky as it worked up the chemicals that gave it the ability to breathe fire. Fortunately for Fedor, this process took a few moments. He leveled both his wands at the very center of the beast's body and cast the strongest banishing charms he knew while throwing as much magical power as he could muster behind them. Two from each wand exploded across the short distance between the two at an amazing rate before colliding with their target. Its four ton body mass not withstanding, the creature was thrown back against the wall of the enclosure with such an impact that it shook the stands above, eliciting more than a few screams of fright as they swayed back and forth for several long moments before finally settling once again.

Jumping forward, he grabbed the golden egg out of the nest before banishing it to the other side of enclosure before slowly making his retreat, never taking his eyes off the rapidly recovering dragon, weaving in and out of the rocks, placing as many obstacles between them as he could. When the dragon had regained her footing, she glared at him with rage in her eyes as a feral growl escaped her. With a powerful lunge, she shot forward as a billow of flame was spat towards him. He waited the stream of fire out behind a rock before emerging again to repeat his previous strategy. The fact that the dragon was now airborne aided him as she had nothing but the wind resistance her wings created preventing a more violent collision with the wall. Once again, screams were heard from above but he paid them no attention.

As he watched for another attack, his backwards pace relaxed slightly and his heart rate dropped to more manageable levels when he came to the conclusion that, judging by her sedate, sluggish movements, she didn't have a chance of reaching him before he made his escape, um, withdrawal. Once he reached his destination, he picked his egg up off the ground after casting a cleaning charm on his robes to get rid with the smell, and casually walked through the only available exit that, conveniently enough, led into a small makeshift hospital. The only person present was the tyrannical Hogwarts mediwitch who appeared to be waiting for him with a scowl on her face.

"I am in no way injured, Madam, so your services will not be required." He informed her as she bustled up to him.

"I will be the judge of that, young man, now sit!" She ordered as she glared at him in annoyance.

"I don't need an examination to show me that I don't have a scratch, I think I know my body a little better than that, so, if you will excuse me." Not giving her a chance to reply, Fedor quickly made his way out though a side exit to find himself now standing in a spectators box high above the ground.

'Hmm, interesting bit of magic.' He thought to himself as he briefly looked back at the portal before looking at the others present. Cedric was sitting with his parents, his family was also present as were the Delacours and Potters. After giving receiving a few hugs or pats on the back, not to mention his mother berating him for doing something so foolish, he approached Cedric who, though his left arm was in a sling, look none the worse for wear.

"What happened to you?" He asked curiously. Mr. Diggory, obviously believing that the question was asked in a patronizing or smug manner, was about to berate the Durmstrang student for the disrespect he was showing his son when Cedric just grinned, looking slightly embarrassed.

"Didn't move out of the way fast enough. Caught me with a burst of fire as I was getting away. That dragon was a lot quicker than I thought it would be."

"Bet that tickled a bit." Fedor grinned. "So how did you get past it?"

"Transfigured a rock into a dog to distract it while I used a disillusionment charm on myself. Worked pretty well at first but once I touched that egg the thing was all over me. Took me a little more than fifteen minutes and I spent most of that time pinned down behind rocks then anything else."

"You? Bagman and Charlie Weasley were speculating on that. They believe that you did something to make the dragon paranoid or scared of something."

"Some other time, perhaps, I _really _don't want to think about it right now." Fedor cringed as he thought about the acrid smell. "Have they announced my time yet?"

"Yeah, just before you came out here. Three minutes and twenty two seconds. They should be announcing your score any minute now so right now you're in first place and I'll probably end up in third overall."

"How do you figure that?"

"My score was twenty three points due to my time, the fact that I got injured and my dragon trampled all of its eggs when I hit it in the eye with a _conjunctivitis_ curse after it dispatched my 'dog'. I'm not sure but I think Fleur has a good chance at doing better. And you will certainly take first place with probably as close to a perfect score as you can get here."

"I don't think so, I'm from Durmstrang, remember, and three of the five judges are English."

"_**Ladies and Gentlemen, we now have the official score for Durmstrang's Fedor Krum. Headmaster Ivanoff of Durmstrang awards ten points out of ten. Headmistress Maxime of Beauxbatons awards ten points out of ten. Headmaster Dumbledore of Hogwarts awards five points out of ten. Bartemius Crouch of the Department of Magical Cooperation awards nine points out of ten and myself, Ludo Bagman of Magical Games and Sports, awards ten points out of ten giving Mr. Krum a total of forty four out of a possible fifty points."**_

"What did I tell you! Bagman gave me full points because I think he bet a significant amount on me to win, but the other two, especially Dumbledore, were quite unreasonable."

"Yes, I noticed that myself. How do you think Fleur is going to do?"

"I think she'll do better than most expect her to. To most, she's just a pretty face, they don't take into consideration that she can actually be quite dangerous." The two lapsed into silence as the Horntail and her eggs were moved out of the enclosure to be replaced with the Chinese Fireball. As soon as it was in place the dragon handlers scattered on their brooms before the domed shield that would prevent it from escaping reactivated.

"_**Our next champion, representing Beauxbatons Academy of Magic, Fleur Delacour!"**_ The French students exploded into applause while the spectators from the other two schools and other representatives cheered politely. Fleur stepped out into the enclosure with a closed and emotionless expression on her face. Her posture reflected her confidence and her belief that she could overcome this challenge.

Though she didn't move as quickly or without fear as Fedor had done, her pace was steady as she moved from one sheltered position to another. As she got closer, she seemed to start glowing slightly and her hair began moving in a breeze that went unnoticed by everyone else. Most of the males watching were enthralled almost instantly while the females were glaring at her with loathing.

"Interesting tactic." Fedor muttered as he watched. He looked to his side to see Cedric with a glazed look in his eyes as he tried to regain control of his mind. Reaching over, he slapped the older champion rather sharply across the face. Cedric looked stunned for a moment before shaking his head to clear the cobwebs. Nodding briefly to his young friend in thanks, he turned his attention back to the confrontation below.

Fleur didn't seem to be in any rush as she spent several minutes just bombarding the dragon with her veela aura, sending it into a weak trance. Deciding that that was as good as it was going to get, she continued on, doing her level best to stay out of sight. Unfortunately as soon as she stepped out into the open, the dragon seemed to come to its senses. The only warning she had was a deep growl that was closely followed by a shot of crimson fire. To the surprise of everyone, she managed to get out of the way, barely.

"Damn she's fast!" Fedor couldn't help but roll his eyes. Thirty seven years old and Potter was still such a man-child. Fleur quickly extinguished the flames that were creeping up on the hem of her robes and began banishing the smaller rocks around her towards the dragons head.

"Clever girl."

"What?" Cedric asked, not taking his eyes form the scene.

"Those golden horns surrounding the edge of the Fireball's face, while they look intimidating, are extremely sensitive to physical contact. While it won't cause much pain, it will cause enough irritation to distract it." As if proving Fedor's theory correct, with each hit, the dragon roared in frustration but each time it made to move forward another rock would hit, stopping it in its tracks as she shook her head fiercely.

Fleur made her escape in much the same manner as she made he approach, slowly and carefully while always making sure to keep enough of the larger rocks between them for cover, all the while keeping up her borage of fist sized stones. It was during this point that Fedor was the most nervous. While he knew that she obviously prepared herself for this, there was still a chance that she would believe that she was home free, thus letting her guard down. He didn't usually worry about such things during a competition but this was different then the others he had participated in. There was a very real chance that any mistake could end in absolute disaster.

Thankfully, his fears were unfounded as she made it out of the enclosure without further trouble. Once she was out of sight, those affected by her veela heritage came back to their senses and were either embarrassed by their reaction or, in the case of some, angered by their respective _partner's _reaction. Whether it be females who did not like seeing their boyfriends or husbands ogling another woman, or the men, who were not happy that their significant other would believe that that they couldn't be trusted around such _an obvious_ _tart,_ as some of the women had described Fleur.

"_**Ladies and Gentlemen, Fleur Delacour of Beauxbatons Academy of Magic successfully completed her task with a time of nine minutes and twelve seconds. Her score will be announced momentarily."**_ Bagman's voice echoed through the stands a few minutes later. Most people jumped in surprise since they hadn't heard a word from him since he first announced the Beauxbatons champion. Apparently, those in the announcer's box were just as affected as everyone else had been throughout the task.

"Well, it looks like you were right, you're looking at third place."

"I suppose, theoretically, I could end up coming in last."

"Please, despite the fact that he had the good fortune to face a lapdog, the chances of Potter scoring better than you are so remote its almost nonexistent. The boy is overconfident, reckless and inexperienced." Though they chose to say nothing, many in the box that heard this opinion wholeheartedly agreed. The Potters' glares didn't bother him one bit and Remus Lupin just looked conflicted. A moment later Fleur emerged looking quite proud of herself, though she was nervous about how the judges would respond, for much of the same reason Fedor was pessimistic about gaining the perfect score that Cedric seemed to think he deserved.

"_**Now for the official score for Fleur Delacour. Headmaster Ivanoff of Durmstrang has awarded eight points out of a possible ten. Headmistress Maxime of Beauxbatons has awarded nine points out of a possible ten. Headmaster Dumbledore of Hogwarts has awarded six points out of ten. Bartemius Crouch has awarded five points out of ten and myself, Ludo Bagman, has awarded six points out of ten for a total of thirty four points out of fifty.**_

"_**As it currently stands, in first place is Fedor Krum with forty four points. In second place is Fleur Delacour with thirty four points and in third place is Cedric Diggory with twenty three points. But, with one final champion left to compete, these standing could change dramatically. Whether he succeeds or fails, we will soon know."**_ Bagman meant for that statement to heighten the anticipation for the final challenge but unfortunately most assumed it to be a slight against Potter and many found it quite amusing.

While they waited for the final dragon to be brought in, Fedor sat down beside his brother and flipped open the latch on his egg. The inside was hollow and contained only a single rolled up piece of parchment. Removing it and casting the egg aside, he unrolled it to find four groups of number sequences.

"Don't ask me, I got the same thing." Cedric spoke up when Fedor looked at him in confusion.

"Are zay all ze same?" Fleur asked as she looked over hers. They spent a few moments to compare their lists to find that each list was almost identical with the exception of each parchment leading off with a different group.

"With four separate groups, I'm guessing that each represents one of us." Fedor suggested.

"And ze von at ze top of our parchment ez ze one zat we must use for ze nest task." Having no other theories right now, the other two agreed with Fleur. It made sense, really. With the exact same number groups on each parchment, why else would there be a different one at the top of each page.

"Great, well, we have two months to figure this mess out." Cedric grumbled in annoyance. He didn't like riddles.

"_**Now, Ladies and Gentlemen, the final competitor of the day. Representing Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Allen Potter." **_It took a minute but Potter finally emerged looking quite pale. The response from the crowd was a bit mixed, he still had some supporters but most were obviously supporting Cedric as the Hogwarts Champion.

His first several steps were rather jerky, as if he had a hard time forcing his body to move, quite understandable for someone who was facing their possible death or maiming for the first time. He looked around frantically until he finally saw his target across the enclosure. Of the four, his approach was certainly the slowest as he moved from one boulder to the next rather quickly only to wait for a couple of minutes to make sure that he had gone unnoticed.

Ludo Bagman and Charlie Weasley spent a few minutes trying to figure out his strategy but when Potter was apparently not ready to make his move, the two lapsed into an uncomfortable silence aside from few general questions about the dragons. The other four judges were experiencing a range of emotions. Both Headmasters Ivanoff and Maxime looked thrilled at the young champion's apparent reluctance to continue while Crouch looked as bored as ever. Dumbledore's eyes never left Allen, almost as if he were hoping to mentally push the boy to get a move on.

The crowd didn't seem to be doing much better. After the other three competitors had dove straight in with interesting and effective strategies, they had expected Potter to do the same.

"You know, I'm not quite sure what to make of this strategy. Its rather unorthodox, wouldn't you agree?" Aleksander asked out loud with a snort. James, Lily and Remus were about to speak up but never got the choice.

"'e ez moving again." Fleur broke in. Sure enough, there was Potter creeping forward to take cover behind the final the final obstacle

"Wow, and it only took him nineteen minutes to clear one hundred meters, I'm impressed." Fedor commented as he looked down at his watch.

"Wiz az much time az 'e took, 'iz plan must be ery brilliant or ery fooleesh." As soon as the words left Fleur's mouth, Potter stepped out from behind his rock and began firing a borage of stunning spells at the dragon as he advanced one step at a time.

"I think he's opted to go with foolish." Everyone not worried about a son or godson just nodded in agreement to Viktor's statement as the spells seemed to have no effect what so ever. While it was possible to take down a dragon with stunning spells, it took a large number of them and with his slow wand movements and his reliance on vocalizing his spells, he didn't have a chance. This fact was proven correct when he was hit in the chest with a swing of the dragon's tail, throwing him back where he landed painfully on the ground. He was pretty sure that he had a few broken ribs and landing heavily on the compacted dirt certainly didn't help matters any.

Lifting his head to look around, he had to scramble to his feet, despite any pain he was in, in an attempt to get away with a very annoyed dragon charging forward. Diving behind one rock after another, he tried to work out the best possible option but with a creature that has no problem having you for its supper on your tail, it becomes just a little bit harder to concentrate. Right now, his mind was running on instinct alone but even that comforting presence seemed to vanish when he mistakenly allowed himself to be trapped in a small outcrop with no where else to go.

"**GET IN THERE!" **Fedor roared to the dragon handlers that were standing along the edge with brooms and wands in hand but they didn't seem to be in any hurry until he ordered them to intervene and it became perfectly clear why. They were engaged in a conversation they were having and simply weren't paying attention as they should have been. It was ridiculous that they would bring these creatures for students to 'play' with but not keep an eye on them at all times, especially when they knew someone was in there.

He certainly had no love for Potter but that didn't mean that he wanted the kid dead. Not mention the fact that if he were to die they may very well cancel the rest of the tournament and he was just starting to have fun, though he stilled maintained that he would rather be back at Durmstrang and competing on the dueling circuit every weekend.

He, like just about everyone else, moved up to the railing to get a better view as a few of the dragon handlers distracted her by flying around her from overhead while the ones on the ground began casting all the containment and binding charms they new. No dragon, not even the Welsh Lapdog, could be taken down easily when you are unprepared for the varying circumstances involved so the handlers had to come up with new techniques as they went along.

While these men were attempting to get the dragon under some semblance of control, Allen shot out of his hiding place once his path was clear and was halfway to the exit when he remembered the egg. Running back across the enclosure, he grabbing the golden _egg _and made a run for it. Unfortunately, for those trying to subdue the beast, violating her nest only enraged her further. By the time they got the situation under control, four of Charlie's colleagues would be spending some quality time with Madam Pomfrey.

As Potter was getting patched up, Bagman announced his time to be twenty six minutes and thirty seven seconds and that his score would be announced as soon as Madam Pomfrey patched him up. It wasn't really that bad considering how reckless he had been. Three broken ribs, a sprained wrist, minor concussion and a few minor burns. Fedor didn't really care about this one bit, it was the injuries to the dragon handlers that got under his skin.

In his opinion, it was perfectly acceptable to risk your own life doing something stupid but to risk another's for something so trivial was just not something you did in his book. And that is precisely what Potter did. His chances at any significant standing after this task was destroyed the moment he fired his first stunning spell and yet he still went after the egg when he should have stayed out of the way. As a result several came awfully close to death and four would be laid up for a while with some very serious burns and an assortment of other wounds.

Looking to his left and then further down to his right where Fleur was sitting beside her father, he could tell that both she and Cedric seemed to be thinking along the same lines, so was most of everyone else, come to think of it. It wasn't long, perhaps twenty minutes or so, when Potter stepped out into the stands, looking quite pale and a little shaky but other wise fine. Almost immediately, Lily jumped forward and scoped her son up into a tight hug with tears running down her cheeks, telling him how scared she was. James and Lupin followed at a more sedate pace and enthusiastically congratulated him on his performance.

Many shook their heads in exasperation. It was because of this 'good enough' attitude that the kid was such a mama's boy. They were standing their telling him how proud they were and how well he did when they should have been kicking him in his ass for going into this task unprepared. After all, he had known about the dragons for four days now but all offers to help him find a solution were turned down. Well it would seem that he is neither capable of taking advice from others as well as taking care of himself.

Fedor couldn't help but pity the boy. He truly had no idea what he was getting in to when he entered this tournament and now he had a very real chance of collecting the lowest overall score ever won in the history of the competition, if he survives that is. Yes, pity is a good word. Amusing is also a good word.

"_**Alright, we have the final score of the day cast. For Allen Potter of Hogwarts, Headmaster Ivanoff of Durmstrang awards one point out of ten. Headmistress Maxime of Beauxbatons awards two points out of ten. Headmaster Dumbledore of Hogwarts awards five points of ten…" **_Bagman stopped reading for a moment as he glared at his former headmaster. Really, five points for that pathetic showing. _**"Continuing, Bartemius Crouch awards two points out of ten and I, Ludo Bagman, awards one point of ten, giving Allen Potter a grand total of eleven points.**_

"_**As we now stand, Mr. Krum of Durmstrang is in the lead with forty four points. In second place is Ms. Delacour of Beauxbatons with thirty four points. In third, Cedric Diggory has collected twenty three points and finally, also representing Hogwarts, in forth place, Allen Potter with eleven points.**_

Potter looked less than pleased by this. By grabbing the egg and finishing the task, he had thought that he had at least had a chance but Krum was already over thirty points ahead of him. Hell, even that French slut did better than him. Though it was of little consolation, Diggory was only twelve points ahead of him. A difference he could easily make up with a good showing in the second task.

"What the hell is this?" He asked himself in confusion as he opened his egg and looked at the parchment it contained. His father explained the theory the other three champions had discussed earlier and while there wasn't much in the way of information there, no one could come up with anything more reasonable. Like Cedric, Allen despised riddles, mostly because he was forced to work the problem out and his concentration wasn't the best around.

**AN:** There you go, chapter eight. And at 17,518 words, it's the longest yet, I hope you enjoyed it. I decided to keep both the first and third tasks the same but I'm going to do something different for the second task, well, partially different anyway.

As always, I'm glad to read any of you thoughts, whether there good or bad, so long as they're constructive and not just an excuse to bash myself and the people that read this fic, so, leave a review, send an e-mail, or whatever, and tell me what you think.


	9. Chapter 9

This is only a filler chapter to give you a bit of information and to get things headed into the Christmas season. So please don't be disappointed in the quality, I will be reediting it at a later date so that it flows better.

Now, on with the important news! Padfootjr is doing much better. He has regained the use of his legs and has been up and walking about for a few weeks now. Though it was slow going for a while there, he has much greater control. At this point he has a noticeable limp but his physical trainer is confidant that that will disappear in time.

I want to thank all of you who have expressed your concerns and well wishes and I also want to thank you for understanding my short layoff from Fanfiction.

**IMPORTANT: **Despite the information given in _Deathly Hollows, _I will not be changing _anything _about my story. I wrote Dumbledore as Grindlewald's apprentice before book seven came out and so it will remain that way. I may use different aspects of the later books here but since this is certainly an AU fic, it will obviously not fall in line with them.

Now, Back to the story…

Vanishing Illusions

By

Trelawney's Love Toy

Chapter Nine:

Three days after the conclusion of the First Task, Fedor, Cedric and Fleur were still being accosted by various students from all three schools, congratulating them on the defeat of their dragons. Though Cedric's performance had been hampered by 'misfortune', he still showed that he was quite intelligent and had displayed enough idiotic courage to be sorted into Gryffindor. When Angelina Johnson, the new captain of the Gryffindor house team, expressed this belief to her Quidditch nemeses, Cedric couldn't really decide if he was supposed to be flattered or insulted, mush less how to respond to such a statement, so he just resorted to the ever faithful _smile and nod. _

Cedric seemed to take the attention that was being shown to him in stride with all the humility of a rural farmer. It was quite endearing actually, in a naive sort of way. Fleur, however, relished it, she was a veela after all and they were a very sociable race. But she seemed to go out of her way to find fault in just about everything about Hogwarts. The castle, the decorations, even the food, which made her seem more than just a little arrogant and superficial. With the sudden shift in her attitude, it took Fedor a short while to figure out that she was playing a role. With her performance against the dragon, those that thought that she was nothing but a pretty face were forced to take her entry into this tournament seriously and that could be detrimental to her later on. Being viewed as an air headed social butterfly would almost certainly get people thinking that her success was achieved through luck and chance rather than the use of any real skill or intellect. While their beliefs may not feed her ego much, it will come in handy when the judges were caught by surprise during the following tasks, possibly giving the extra nudge needed for them to award her a higher score.

Like he did for the days leading up to the confrontation with the dragons, Allen made a point to stay out of Fedor's way, in fact, he seemed to be avoiding just about everyone. He held himself up in the Gryffindor common room or his dormitory to give himself at least some peace to brood while his housemates left him alone for the most part, the same could not be said for the Ravenclaws, who seemed to find his headstrong, and suicidal, charge at the dragon amusing. Some of the more outspoken Hufflepuffs expressed their opinions that they found his lack of preparation insulting to the rest of the student body that he was supposed to be representing alongside Cedric. And the Slytherins were always looking for an opportunity to insult a Gryffindor and the outcome of the first task gave them ample reason to gloat. Even some of his own housemates were supporting Diggory or even one of the other school champions. For the most part, the Beauxbatons and Durmstrang students ignored him, as if he didn't even merit their attention. Insults he could handle to a degree but being ignored as the foreigners and even some Gryffindors were doing simply enraged him. He certainly wasn't winning himself any new friends.

After thinking on it for quite some time he came to the conclusion that he was going to have to start studying for the second task immediately. True, it was still two months away, but he had no intention of being subjected to another such embarrassment if he could help it. With the media scrutiny that has been focused on him for a few weeks now, he felt that he was being forced to prove that he was just as capable of competing in the tournament as the other three champions. It was ridiculous, he didn't care what the _Prophet_ said, _he_ was the Boy-Who-Lived, not Krum, and he was the only one capable of leading Hogwarts to a victory in this tournament.

The tournament and the rest of the student body aside, his biggest problem was currently his parents and Dumbledore. His father had always supported or encouraged his pranks but now he was told, quite firmly, to stop simply because it would provide the Krums with more ammunition against them, which they couldn't afford. They intended to launch their own publicity strikes against the family in retaliation for the articles printed about them. For the most part, they intended to stick to the truth as much as possible so that there were no loose ends that could hurt them later on. With Aleksander Krum being a former Death Eater and the close ties with the Valavicius family, they had no doubt that they could redirect the public's outrage to where it truly belonged.

Allen would be lying if he said he wasn't angry that he was left in the dark regarding Krum. Finding out that he was Harry Potter in the Great Hall with everyone else felt like a sharp slap in the face. He should have been told beforehand, his parents should have told him but it seemed they were more concerned about a boy they don't even know then him. He didn't care who he was or who his parents were. Krum was not his brother and he never would be. Probably the only thing the two would ever agree on. For the life of him, he couldn't understand why his parents would want to fight to gain custody of the bastard. Yes, he may be their son, but they had not seen him in thirteen years and he was certainly not the type of person they would normally approve of. Not to mention the fact that he obviously wanted nothing to do with them, which was perfectly fine with him.

Krum! Just seeing him at the other end of a corridor made his hands tremble and that filled him with both anger and fear. While he admitted that his curse could have killed the other champion, that had not been his intention. He simply let his anger get the better of him, that's all. The curse was blocked so it was no big deal yet they allowed him to get away with shattering every bone in his hands without so much as a single detention.

Looking over at the books he had collected from the school library, he sighed heavily and decided to head up to bed early, he would continue, or more accurately, begin, his research in the morning.

XXX

Fedor continued to ignore the irate librarian, and the few students who were looking on in curiosity, as he scanned the numerous volumes in frustration. This place was little more than a tomb for old parchment. Despicable really, that these crazy English wizards have the audacity to brag to the whole world that this bit of shit is the greatest collection of magical knowledge in the world.

For the most part, this section of the library was empty with the exception of a few older students doing research and Potter had come in looking quite smug but he quickly retreated when he caught sight of Fedor.

"Mr. Krum, what are you doing?" Looking to the side for a brief moment, he caught sight of Professor McGonagall bearing down on him with that irritating librarian right behind her.

"I'm looking, Professor. I would have thought that that would have been obvious to someone of your reported intelligence." He stated before returning to his task.

"You are not permitted to be in the Restricted Section, Mr. Krum." She clearly did not like being brushed off.

"So I've been told. Would you care to enlighten me as to why?" Still, he did not abandon his search.

"You must be at least a fifth year to view these texts, and only then with a professor's approval. And second, you are not a Hogwarts student. Professor Dumbledore has left explicit instructions that…"

"Fifth year or above? Is that why Potter was in here just ten minutes ago with a pass from Dumbledore himself, giving him unrestricted access? And tell me, Professor, as we are not Hogwarts students, how are Fleur and I supposed to prepare for this tournament with your Headmaster denying us access to the information we may need when he makes it so readily available to his own students? For that matter, how are _they _to be prepared when the majority of the books available to them are absolute garbage?"

"Excuse me?" Madam Pince exclaimed as she placed her hand over her chest as if she were just viciously insulted. "This is the greatest magical library in the world!"

"Lady, its junk. I've seen larger and more organized libraries in communities you would spit at rather than visit and it is clear that this, collection, hasn't been updated in decades. For example," Fedor walked a few meters further down the isle before grabbing a book off the shelf and dropping it onto the table beside McGonagall. "As a certified Master of Transfiguration, Professor, I'm sure you'll recognize this. Harold Cornwall's Master Theses, first released in 1214. It, of course, details the nature of human transfiguration. His theories into how it is possible, why only some witches and wizards are able to master it and finally, what truly happens to the body during the transformation." Fedor took a few minutes to grab half a dozen other books while Madam Pince looked on in confusion. McGonagall, however, seemed to know where he was going with this.

"Septimus Caffery, released in 1309!" He stated as he dropped another book on top of the first. "Helena McPherson, 1387." Another book thrown down. "Desmond Saperstein, 1523. Juan Miguel Cortez, 1590. Josephine Reno-Dubois, 1659. Each book disproves the theories that came before it before putting forth their own until you finally get to this little gem. Jonathan Longstreet, published 1880. He finally got it right. So, what you have here, is the definitive work on human transfiguration and six worthless bits of shit."

"Those texts are priceless!" Pince argued.

"In a museum or a private collection they may be priceless, but in a library, a school no less, they are worthless. In the last thirty minutes I've seen the same thing for every subject I've looked at so far. You have numerous books that are both out of date and the theories are ridiculous and not once have I seen anything that will let a student know that the information is obsolete. In fact, I would not be surprised to learn that the majority of the information your students have been getting on magical theory for decades has been useless.

"Though, I am curious why your school would lower itself to actually have this abomination in its possession?" He scowled as he held up an ancient looking book bound in black leather.

"What is it?" One of Cedric's Ravenclaw friends, Cho Chang, asked curiously, wondering why he would be so disgusted to even touch the thing. When everyone turned to her, surprised that she was listening, she blushed slightly but simply asked her question again.

"This, Ms. Chang, is an original copy of the _Malleus Maleficarum_." Fedor spat, much to Cho's confusion, before throwing the book aside, not caring that the thing was probably worth a fortune. With his scowl still in place, he stalked out of the library after Cho scrambled to get to the book ahead of Madam Pince, intent on finding out why its mere presence in the school had offended the Durmstrang champion.

XXX

Headmaster Dumbledore was making his way on board the Durmstrang ship to hopefully head off a certain troublesome reporter. He had tried to simply deny Rita Skeeter access to Hogwarts but unfortunately other tournament organizers, Minister Fudge and Ludo Bagman in particular, felt that her upcoming story could garner some 'spectacular publicity'. Sadly, he did not feel the same. While it would surely attract a great deal of attention, he didn't believe that a one on one interview with Harry Potter would do very much good at all. With both the _Prophet _and many within the Ministry almost frothing at the mouth for it, his only hope was to convince Harry that he couldn't trust a reporter like Skeeter. She would certainly take his words and twist them to show him in the worst possible light. While this would certainly follow her normal pattern, Albus didn't believe that this would be her intent of _this _interview.

"Ah, Boris, Andrei, lovely afternoon." He greeted Headmaster Ivanoff and Professor Emelianenko happily as he stepped on deck to find the two men standing on the starboard side speaking quietly. 'Boris', or Headmaster Ivanoff, raised an annoyed eyebrow at the casual use of his given name, a courtesy he had never given the old man. With a rough snort of contempt, he stalked off, heading below deck to make sure his students were getting their work done. One of the few things he had in common with his predecessor, beyond the fascination with the so called _dark arts_, was their dislike of Dumbledore. While Karkaroff found it advantageous to remain civil to the man, he did not. He would be polite when the situation called for it but he would never pander to the man as most other seem to do.

"I find it fascinating that no matter how much exposure you have to other cultures, you still continually ignore them." Andrei said with some amusement and a little distaste as Dumbledore watched the other man go in confusion.

"What do you mean?" He asked as he turned back to the older magician. It was quite hard to think of anyone older than Dumbledore himself but Professor Emelianenko had already earned his mastery in charms years before he was born.

"You know perfectly well what I mean, Albus. Boris comes from a culture where you do not use a man's first name unless he has given you permission to do so. You know this as well as I do and yet you continue to ignore this basic courtesy. Like so many other things that you have overlooked or disregarded over the years because they do not fit with the image you have crafted for yourself. A loving grandfather can't be seen addressing another as an equal, or a superior, after all."

"Must we have this conversation again?" Dumbledore asked in annoyance. This was obviously merely a continuation of an old argument.

"I will bring it up every opportunity I get until you finally get the point. You may have your position within England well in hand but internationally, people are beginning to ask questions concerning both your suitably and your motives within the International Confederation of Wizards. I may have problems with your methods but unlike many I don't particularly wish to see you removed entirely."

"You're talking about the Krums?" It made sense, they have certainly made it clear what they wanted.

"You're becoming a shortsighted fool, Albus. The Krums don't want to see you destroyed, they simply want you to leave them alone and if they must destroy you to get there, then so be it but they will be perfectly happy to leave things as they are if you simply butt out of their affairs. No, what I'm talking about is the many nations that make up the International Confederation of Wizards asking whether or not you have outlived your usefulness. Like your precious Allen Potter, outside of England, your popularity is slipping and has been for years now."

"I wouldn't worry too much about that." Dumbledore commented after thinking about it for a moment. "Popularity is a fickle thing, it changes everyday. You could be a god one day and a Dark Lord the next. It's the way of things and I'm sure my support will recover if it has truly fallen off." Professor Emelianenko rolled his eyes in response. The man was certainly way too sure of himself. He always seemed to believe that he could handle any problem and that everything would turn out alright in the end like some kind of ridiculous fairytale. That ever present optimism as well as his penchant for wanting to give everyone a second chance, no matter what they had done in the past, was one of the reasons that many of the more cynical and realistic members of the international community believed that Dumbledore's views were just to out of touch with the real world.

"Since you obviously didn't come out here for a lecture, what was it you needed?" Emelianenko asked, wanting to get to the point.

"Yes, I was hoping to speak with Harry for a few moments." The older wizard just blinked.

"I don't believe we have any Harrys on this ship." He responded with mock confusion, much to Dumbledore's annoyance.

"I am speaking of Fedor Krum."

"Then you should have said so. But I'm afraid that a meeting with Mr. Krum is out of the question at this point in time."

"Why is that?"

"Because he isn't here."

"What?" Dumbeldore asked in shock. Where else would he be.

"After he finished his classes for the day, he visited your library and was not impressed. He expressed his disappointment in the texts you have available so the Headmaster loaned him use of his own portkey to use the student library at Durmstrang. I'm sure he'll be back within a few hours but he'll probably have no interest in doing anything other than studying after he returns."

"He's, he's not here?" The Hogwarts Headmaster was clearly dumbfounded.

"I think I made that perfectly clear, Albus."

"You can't just allow the students to leave the grounds." Dumbeldore hissed in anger. "Only Hogsmeade weekends are…"

"QUIET, ALBUS!" Andrei snapped irritably. "You may have control over Hogwarts and its grounds but you DO NOT control the Durmstrang staff or our students. If we chose to allow a student to return to our school or even allow them a day off to visit London, your opinion on the matter doesn't even factor into the equation."

"But he must be protected!" Albus stated firmly. "The loss of Harry Potter would certainly be detrimental to the wizarding world."

"That's just it, he isn't Harry Potter, he's Fedor Krum and in my judgment, Albus, it is you that he needs protection from. It was you that exposed him to any enemies the Potter family may have and it is you who wants to rip him away from the only people capable of protecting him from any enemies that he can not deal with on his own. Make no mistake about it, if you take him away from his family, you will become his enemy and although many of your little puppets are quite skilled, they have never faced an opponent like Fedor or Viktor. You _will _lose."

XXX

Fedor spent about two hours browsing the Durmstrang library but considering he still had not worked out the clue to the second task, he didn't expect to have much success, and he'd been right. With only a series of numbers to go on, he concentrated primarily on Arithmancy but discovered that if put into equations, at least in their given order, made absolutely no sense magically. Working backwards, he found the same. He supposed that he could try other combinations but that would surely give him numerous permutations that could coincide with any number of spells for possibly thousands, if not millions, of uses. So he figured Arithmancy was a dead end. It simply made no sense to have the champions wade through that many calculations. Plus, he was absolutely horrid at the subject.

Looking at his watch, he saw he had only half an hour before he was set to meet with Rita Skeeter so he moved over to the transport stone on the library wall, vanishing a moment after touching it. It really was quite ingenious. As big as Hogwarts was, Durmstrang was much larger so getting anywhere on time could be a problem without them. There were numerous stones scattered about the school in strategic locations to allow students and professors to quickly traverse the enormous interior.

He rematerialized in a small alcove a few hundred meters from the main entrance. He could have traveled directly to the doors themselves but he had always enjoyed walking the corridors of the school. It was calming in a strange sort of way. Hogwarts, despite the 'magical' atmosphere that the English reveled in, was really quite a dreary place. The grey stone corridors and classrooms and the almost year round chill in the air was really depressing. Beauxbatons, while quite luxurious, was overly so and had a tendency to make you feel inadequate. The building, more like a grand sixteenth century French palace, was brightly lit in pastel tones and the meticulously pruned gardens was just a bit too much for him.

Durmstrang was different, while often cold, dark and gloomy, it suited him like no other place he had ever been. While it held many of the same characteristics as Hogwarts, it just _felt_ different. The school itself, far from being built in the conventional fashion, was pretty much carved out of the mountains on the school grounds, the front doors and surrounding surface being the only visible evidence of the structure. The general public believed that Durmstrang was actually quite small, only about four floors, in reality, there were actually twelve, each successive Headmaster tunneling further and deeper into the mountain. The fact that Durmstrang had a much larger pool of students to draw on than Hogwarts ensured that that extra space would not go unused.

While the walls and ceiling of most of the infrastructure was rough and unfinished, the four _known _levels were made up of grey and black marble that had been polished to a high shine. Those in Britain would like the rest of the world to believe that Hogwarts is the oldest school of magic in the world when in fact, it is probably only the fifth oldest. There are two in Asia that are certainly older and one in Australia that was begun by the aborigines. Each of these schools are over two thousand years old, no one is quite sure just how old, while Durmstrang was founded four hundred years before Salazar Slytherin, the oldest of the Hogwarts Founders, was even born. It was just one more sign that while the entirety of the wizarding world was rather arrogant and preferred to live within their own fantasies, those in Britain have taken this trait and turned it into an art form. It was rather sad really.

As he moved down the corridor towards the small portkey chamber off the main hall, students of all ages were wishing him luck whether they liked him or not. Just like his enemies currently at Hogwarts, they all believed that he was Durmstrang's best chance to win the tournament and that was enough to put any grudges on hold for the time being. Once the tournament was over, he was pretty sure that everything would go back to normal and he would have to be constantly on his guard, prepared for an attack at any time.

One of the most notable exceptions to this temporary truce was Professor Hawass. An Egyptian who was one of the associate charms professors. He merely scowled at Fedor as he walked passed. Hawass, who was a second cousin of the famous squib archeologist, Zahi Hawass, fancied himself a dueling master but had never shown much skill beyond a moderately gifted amateur.

In one of his first classes as a member of the staff, he wanted to show how charms could be used in dueling and had made the mistake of choosing Viktor, then a fourth year, as his sparing partner. It was only Professor Emelianenko's timely intervention that saved him from _Victor's _demonstration. While Hawass had an exceptionally large catalog of spells to call upon and very fast wand movements, he did not have the foot work or reflexes needed to really succeed in the field. Since that day, his contempt for Viktor, and by extension, Fedor and several of their friends, was always plainly visible. It was not an uncommon phenomenon, especially in the wizarding world. Many people tend to dislike those that excel at something when they meet with failure.

Reaching the entrance hall, Fedor didn't waste any time before entering the small chamber and activating his Headmaster's portkey. He had just a few minutes left until he was scheduled to meet with Rita Skeeter and he didn't want to want to be late. He just wanted the stupid interview over with as soon as possible. These interviews he was to give was without doubt the aspect of his situation that he was most uncomfortable with. Despite the air of confidence he always tried to surround himself with, he was very nervous speaking about himself to others, especially reporters who often wrote what they wanted, not necessarily what their source said, simply because they wanted to make their story as spectacular and interesting as possible whether it was true or not. Thankfully, one of the conditions his mother had set was that Rita had to use a standard Dicta-Quill instead of her favored acid green Quick Quotes Quill that was charmed to write out an exaggerated account of the interview.

Closing his eyes for a brief moment and taking a deep breath to calm himself, Fedor stepped into _The Three Broomsticks _and scanned the crowded pub before spotting the familiar pile nearly bleached blond hair standing out amongst the surrounding patrons. Shaking his head slightly, he steadily made his way across the pub, ignoring all those that turned to stare at him. It took him a great deal of self control to prevent himself from snorting in amusement as he took in her appearance.

While she wasn't ugly per say, she did look rather ridiculous. Her curly hair was done up in an elaborate patterns that were more appropriate for a child's doll than an actual human being, much less a person who should present a professional appearance. Her penciled in eyebrows and the heavy jewel encrusted glasses dominating her facial features, not to mention the hideously tight olive green dress with its large flared collar only served to make it much harder for him to take this woman seriously. She just seemed more a curiosity of the bazaar than anything else. It really was quite remarkable what magical folk worldwide would consider fashionable. If she were to step out into the muggle world dressed like that, most would probably assume that she was in fact a man who worked hard at his 'fabulous' appearance. Her large hands and square jaw would only serve to elevate this possibility.

"Ms. Skeeter." He greeted her in a neutral tone as he sat down opposite her, casting a privacy ward as he did so.

"Ah, Fedor, I'm so pleased you could make it. Though I am surprised that you came alone, I was half expecting you to at least bring your brother." Skeeter replied as she eyed him like he was a piece of meat. If she played this right, she could gain an awful lot of money with this one interview alone. The next two, at the conclusion of his custody hearing and following the completion of the third task would surely earn her a great deal more.

"There really was no need to bring anyone else. If you ask a question I am uncomfortable with, I simply will not answer. I want this over with as soon as possible, the inclusion of another party in this meeting would certainly drag it on for much larger than is necessary. Now, can we begin?" And so they did. For the next hour and a half, Rita asked numerous questions about his childhood, how he was raised, his relationship with other members of his family, both the Krums and the Valavicius', his training and of course his thoughts and feelings regarding the Potters.

As he promised, he ignored questions he didn't want to answer no matter how much the woman tried to pry. Not to be discouraged, she simply went more in depth with those that he did answer. She was most fascinated with his outlook on his biological family. That he had no feelings for them one way or the other until James Potter's treachery at last year's dueling tournament. While she really didn't care who or what Potter stepped on to get what he wanted on any moral grounds, she was ecstatic to get this directly from Fedor's mouth. If there was one thing she enjoyed doing above all else, it was causing problems for those who were at the top of the world, and having Fedor explain how his 'father' had cheated him would certainly cause problems for the Potters and certainly Dumbledore as well. While his actions had already been reported in the Prophet, getting it directly from Fedor himself would be much more effective.

"Now, on with the tournament, shall we? With the First Task complete, what are your thoughts on the abilities of the other competitors? Who do you think has the best shot at coming out victorious?"

"Both Cedric and Fleur are quite intelligent and have more than enough skill to make this tournament interesting and challenging. While there may be a wide margin between me and Cedric at the moment, there is still two tasks left to complete so making any assumptions of what could transpire later is a bit premature at this time."

"What about Allen Potter?" She pressed. This was the question she really wanted answered. The possibilities for scandal were enormous.

"In my opinion," Fedor began slowly, choosing his words carefully. "He shouldn't even be allowed to compete. He tampered with the Goblet of Fire to ensure that he would be selected. That alone should have disqualified him. Dumbledore would like everyone to believe that his name being chosen, whether by accident or design, binds him by contract to take part. What he doesn't want anyone to know was that as Headmaster of the host school, he has the power to void that contract should any irregularities arise. No one has _ever _been forced to compete in this tournament. If you look at the records, you will find that a number of competitors over the years have either dropped out or have been disqualified. No, Dumbledore wants Potter in this tournament. He's been indulging the boy all his life and this is just one more example.

"Anyone who watched the First Task knows that Potter is hopelessly overmatched and that he has no chance. Charging a nesting dragon by yourself firing stunning spells is just plain stupid to begin with but then after the dragon handlers had to come out to rescue him he has to get in the way, going for the egg again, distracting those that are trying to save him and enraging the dragon further, resulting in four people seriously injured. I can only hope that in the coming tasks he doesn't get anyone killed."

"Well, from your point of view his strategy may have been stupid but that is only because it failed. After all, Albus Dumbledore once stunned a dragon with a single stunning spell so it is perfectly within reason to believe that someone else could do the same, even if they have to use more than one."

"For one, Allen Potter is no Dumbledore. And second, not even Albus Dumbledore could stun a dragon with a single spell. Anyone with half a mind could tell you that. A Chinese Fireball has the weakest hide of any breed of dragon and it still takes three killing curses to bring it down so how do you expect a single mere stunner to do anything, no matter how powerful the wizard casting it may be? Any expert can tell you that that is simply impossible.

"One thing I have noticed about Dumbledore is that he enjoys the image he has created for himself. He likes people believing that he is powerful enough to do anything so you will find that no matter how ridiculous the rumors about his power may be, while he won't confirm them, he certainly won't deny them either."

Over all, Fedor had to conclude that the interview went better than he expected. While he may have come across as arrogant at several points, he hoped that the people that put all their faith behind Dumbledore without thinking twice might actually think through what he said before coming to any conclusions. While giving up the little illusions in your life certainly wouldn't be easy and maybe they wouldn't want to, he could come up with a great many more good changes than bad if people stopped thinking about the old man as some all knowing and all powerful figure.

Just of few short weeks ago, if he had said half those things in an interview, people would have automatically gone on the attack. Vilifying him in any way they could. After all, how dare a simple foreigner come to Hogwarts and start spreading lies about one of their national heroes? But now, after slowly filtering them information since late October, they would probably be more receptive to the facts, enough to marginalize him enough to render his opinion regarding Fedor's custody worthless.

XXX

"Have any of you seen Cho?" Cedric asked as he sat down to dinner the following evening.

"Why are you asking us? Why not the Ravenclaws?" Amber asked in confusion.

"I did. I was looking for her yesterday and Marietta said she was in her dorm reading all day and they haven't seen her today."

"She must be really engrossed in that book!" Fedor commented in an offhand manner.

"What?"

"I found a book in the library yesterday, quite surprised to find it there as a matter of fact. She seemed quite interested in it and picked it up as I was leaving."

"What book was it?"

"The _Malleus Maleficarum_."

"_The Witches' Hammer_?" Cedric demanded harshly while those many of the foreign students around them either scowled, a few from Durmstrang even spat on the floor in disgust. Most of the Hogwarts students, however, looked on in confusion. Fedor only nodded in confirmation.

"What is _The Witches' Hammer_?" Hannah Abbott asked from a few seats away. Seeing Cedric Diggory lose his cool was a rarity so naturally this conversation piqued a lot of peoples' interest.

"Our history lessons very rarely stray from goblin rebellions or similar events. We learned about the witch hunts and all but not really the details and reasons behind them." Amber explained for the benefit of the foreign students who were confused that someone would know nothing of _that_ book. Their history professor must be severely under qualified for his position. The fact that Professor Binns was a ghost pretty much ensured that they wouldn't learn anything beyond what he had been teaching within a week or two before his death as that was all he was capable of retaining in any great detail since he didn't have much of a personal life before hand. It really was quite ridiculous that Dumbledore would allow him to keep the position but apparently he thought it was quite unique and amusing that Hogwarts had the only active ghost professor. The foolish old fossil should at least hire someone else to teach the subject as well, keeping Binns on to teach goblin history as an elective or something.

"The _Malleus Maleficarum _was called an encyclopedia of demonology but really it was a detailed guidebook on how to recognize, capture, torture and dispose of suspected witches, which is odd since very few actual witches were ever captured by the inquisitors. And those that were either escaped quickly or allowed themselves to be burned at the stake for their own amusement. Wendelin the Weird, for example, allowed herself to be captured numerous times and used the Fire-Freezing charm to prevent the fire from catching. Apparently she enjoyed the tickling sensation it caused. The book primarily targeted women that were independent and had a mind of their own. For most men at the time, this was unnatural." Cedric explained with a great deal of distaste. "While there were some men that were accused of witchcraft, this book claimed that 'all' women were potential tools of the devil and described many different methods of finding out whether or not they had been corrupted. Basically, if you didn't act as a typical submissive woman should, more likely than not you could find yourself accused of witchcraft and executed. There's no telling how many women were murdered because of that book. Some say hundreds of thousands, others say millions. Hell, if someone didn't like you, or perhaps wanted your property, all they had to do was accuse you because once you were accused you were pretty much dead. Only a handful were ever found to be innocent."

"The fact that it was endorsed by the Catholic Church didn't help matters any." Amber added.

"Wrong!" Fedor broke in. "Though the church did support many of the witch hunts, supporters of the book, primarily witch hunters and inquisitors, gave the illusion that it was granted approval by Pope Innocent VIII to give it some legitimacy when, in fact, the Vatican condemned the book a couple of years after it was written. Any public endorsement by the Vatican was completely fabricated."

"Sweet Merlin, I'm glad I wasn't a muggle back in those days."

"Don't think for one moment that the magical world was immune from this madness. After all, one of the writers of the book, Jacob Sprenger, was a wizard." Anna spoke up. "Wizards merely changed things around a bit. Instead of magic being evil, it became the so called _dark arts._ A wizard's magic was supposedly gifted to him by the gods while a witch's was a gift from demons and all it took was the use of certain magic to completely corrupt them, turning them into a form of demon themselves. That's why so many forms of magic became outlawed during that period whether they were truly dark in nature or not. Any form of magic that those in a position of power couldn't control or didn't understand was deemed illegal and those that practiced them were branded as criminals. Just as in the muggle world, there is no telling how many were killed but it was at least eighteen percent of all witches in Europe and probably four to six percent of wizards."

All the nearby Hogwarts students were just staring in shock. They knew about the witch hunts of course but as Amber explained, they didn't know much. The fact that a wizard helped by writing such a book was disgusting and while most of those present didn't really care about what happened in the muggle world several hundred years ago, the murder of possibly millions of women for an offence they had nothing to do with was something that they couldn't really just brush off as if it didn't matter. Not to mention the fact that the 'hunt' was not exclusive to the muggle world as they had been raised to believe. The thought of witches being hunted down and executed by wizards was a disturbing thought. That was something they certainly never learned in History of Magic. It certainly showed them how far behind they were with the rest of Europe, the world even, in terms of their education. While most understood that the magical people, as a whole, were adverse to change and preferred to forget the worst of their past, it was quite shocking to have it thrown in their faces like that. It certainly didn't do much for their school pride. Marietta Edgecombie, who was sitting behind Cedric at the Ravenclaw table, was about to ask another question when Professor McGonagall called for everyone's attention as Dumbledore stood up.

"Good evening," He began when everyone's gaze had turned to him. "As you are no doubt aware, the Tri-Wizard Tournament was reinstituted to promote international cooperation and to expose each of you students to different cultures and different ways of thinking. It is my hope that this will in some way help you to establish new friendships that may very well last a lifetime. In this spirit, we will be hosting a Yule Ball Christmas Eve for students fourth year and above, younger students will be able to attend if they have an older escort. For those of you who have plans of returning home this holiday season, transportation will be arranged to bring you back here for the festivities should you wish it. That is all for now, more information will be given soon." The Great Hall almost instantly burst with the level of noise that seemed to explode from the students present. Witches were talking excitedly to their friends about who they wanted to go with, what they would wear and whatnot while most of the male population was groaning at the prospect. It wasn't the ball itself that had them down but rather everything that would lead up to it, such as actually _asking _someone to be their date. Teenage males in general, whether they be wizard or muggle, were both notoriously dense as well as self-conscious. Putting themselves on the spot with some girl they were attracted to had a tendency to make them extremely paranoid. After all, what if they asked the wrong girl, what if she said no or even laughed in their face? Or worse, what if said girl turned out to be a complete nutcase? Then, of course, there was the dancing. It was all very nerve-racking.

Those who didn't have quite so little confidence in either their appeal or their abilities were looking at the other boys in resignation. It wouldn't be long before the real panic set in and they were inundated with classmates begging for advice on how to ask a girl out. After that part of the process was out of the way, they would be back for more advice on how they should dress, act, or heaven forbid, dancing lessons. The next few weeks were sure to be hell for a great many people.

"So, Fedor, who do you plan to ask to the Ball?" Fleur asked with a coy smile. The younger champion looked at her with a slightly raised eyebrow.

"I haven't exactly had much time to think about, have I? Though I'm rather partial to the idea of not even showing up. Being one of the champions, I'm sure that my absence would anger more than a few and that thought appeals to me. But I must consider your reasoning for asking such a question immediately after the ball was announced. Was it in some small way your intention to manipulate me into considering you for my date?"

"Not at all, I was merely curious. Though now that you have brought up the subject of manipulation, was your question concerning my motives designed to get me thinking about the possibility should you ask at some later date?" And so it began. The two champions went back and forth for nearly five minutes making arguments and counter-arguments about how each was trying to entice the other. Those sitting around them had forgotten about the food sitting in front of them as they stared at the two with a mixture of awe and confusion as they gave both reasons why they should and shouldn't go together, all the while denying that they had any intention of doing so.

"I think I'm going to be sick." Viktor grunted as he stood up to leave. Several others seemed to agree and did the same. The sexual tension between the two was really quite suffocating. There was no question why a fourteen year old boy would be attracted to Fleur but under normal circumstances one would not consider that she would be attracted to him but Fedor was certainly not your normal fourteen year old. In fact, many of the other sixth and seventh year witches would gladly go to the ball with him as well and that had little if nothing to do with the fact that he was, or at least used to be, Harry Potter.


End file.
